Baccalaureate Nursing Program Student Handbook 2011-12

Table of Contents NOTE: Online handbook page numbering is different than hard copy numbering.

TOPIC PAGE Introduction Welcome 4 Columbus State University 5 School of Nursing: Description and History 5 Nursing Program Accreditation and Georgia Board of Nursing Approval 6 Organizational Chart: School of Nursing 7 Administration and Faculty 8 Nursing Program and Curriculum BSN Mission, Philosophy, and Organizational Framework 10 BSN Program and Level Outcomes 13 BSN Curriculum Schema: Pre-licensure Student 14 Nursing Teaching Facilities 16 Professional Nursing Organizations 20 Nursing Program Admission and Progression Policies Admission Requirements Undergraduate Students 23 Course Withdrawal Policy 23 Essential Skills and Performance Standards for Students 24 Disability Services Office 25 Nursing Pre-Clinical Requirements 26 Progression Requirements 28 Readmission to Nursing Courses/Program 28 Skills Validation 30 School of Nursing Policies Academic Honesty Policy 32 Achievement Examinations Policy 35 Attendance Policy 36 Children Attending Class Policy 38 Clinical Supervision Policy 39 Confidentiality of Patient Information and HIPAA 40 Confidentiality of Student Information and FERPA 44 Drug Calculation Proficiency Examination Policy 46 Employment Policy for Students(including requirements for students with health related licenses)

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Evaluation and Grading Policy 47 Computerized Exam Rational Review Policy 49 Clinical Lab Evaluation 50 Grievance Procedure 51 Group Work Guidelines and Policy 52 Professional Behavior 54 Professional Behavior Policy 57 Professional Attire and Appearance Policy 58 Web Site & Online Resources Policy 60 Student Information and Resources Class Officers and Faculty Advisor Roles/Responsibilities 69

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TOPIC PAGE Community and Professional Service Recognition Policy 72 Financial Aid 74 Financial Information 75 Professional Travel for Students: Guidelines and Procedures 76 Nursing Program Graduation and Licensure Requirements Graduation Requirements: Summary (including ceremony participation) 79 Graduation Requirements: NURS 4377 Final Exam Policy (Nursing Exit Exam) 80 NCLEX-RN and Licensing Application Procedures 81 Forms Campus Lab Referral Form 83 Clinical Supervision of Students: Student Form 84 Simulation Laboratory Confidentiality and Security Agreement 85 Community Service Hours Validation Form 86 Employment Record of Nursing Students Form 87 Medical / Emergency Care Form 88 NURS 4377 Final Exam Policy Form (Nursing Exit Exam) 89 Student Handbook and Honor Pledge Form 90 Sample Letter of Exception 91

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INTRODUCTION

WELCOME Welcome to the beginning of your career in nursing. You have chosen a very rewarding and challenging profession that will offer you many and varied opportunities. We are in the midst of a nursing shortage unlike any other seen before. Rather than a brief period of shortage followed by a cycle of plenty, this shortage is ongoing and predicted to grow for the next 25 years or more. There are many reasons for this shortage, but a primary factor is the increasing demand for nursing care as the “baby boom” generation ages, retires, and expands the number of older and elderly adults requiring nursing services. Exponential growth of health care technology and scientific advances are allowing people to live longer lives with chronic conditions that require ongoing monitoring, teaching and care to achieve the highest quality of life possible. Your role as a nurse will be very important in the years to come. Along with the advantages of a career in nursing comes a tremendous responsibility. You will have the lives and well being of people in your hands. This requires a sound knowledge base, keen observational skills, excellent clinical reasoning skills that utilize the ability to critically think through problems and make complex decisions, respect and compassion for human beings, and a commitment to life long learning. The CSU undergraduate nursing program is designed to prepare you to begin your nursing career as a nurse generalist. After graduation and licensure, you will be prepared to advance and specialize in your career through experience and advanced education. We wish you the best as your journey begins with your nursing education and we are proud that you chose CSU for your nursing education.

CSU Nursing Faculty Members

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Columbus State University History

Located in the growing northeast section of Columbus, Georgia, Columbus State University is a senior unit of the University System of Georgia. Established by the Board of Regents in 1958 as a Junior College, it rapidly progressed from a two-year institution to a comprehensive college and in 1996 was elevated to University status.

Columbus State University has a student body of over 8000. The 132-acre campus includes over 20 buildings, student housing in both dormitory and apartment style arrangements, and a wide variety of indoor and outdoor recreational facilities. Computer labs across campus provide student access to e-mail, word processing and online research, as well as instructional technology throughout the curriculum. The Simon Schwob Memorial Library provides online access to more than 100 data bases and to over 500 electronic full-text journals, including nursing journals.

llege Site

Three off-campus centers provide unusual learning environments for CSU students and for the region’s school children and residents. The Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center is a living laboratory where students of all ages can observe and study nature. CSU’s Coca-Cola Space Science Center houses a Challenger Learning Center, a planetarium theater that is technologically one of the best in the nation, and the Mead Observatory. CSU’s nationally renowned Schwob School of Music and the schools of Art and Theater are located in state-of-the-art performing arts facilities at the River Center uptown campus.

Columbus State University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, educational specialist degrees, and education doctorate.

School of Nursing History The School of Nursing is housed in Illges Hall with administrative offices located on the third floor. Faculty offices, classrooms and conference rooms are located on first, second and third floors. The

school facility includes the administrative suite, three large (100 seat) media-equipped classrooms, a faculty conference room, a student conference room, individual private faculty offices, a faculty/staff lounge, two campus labs containing a total of 17 beds, a computer lab containing 24-student stations & one instructor station, and a Student Nurses Association office. Space on the ground floor has been renovated to house the graduate program planned for the future and includes a conference room, computer lab (8 stations) and three faculty offices. The organizational structure of the School of Nursing promotes effective functioning and fosters the attainment of program outcomes. (See School of

Nursing Organizational Chart).

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Columbus State University first offered a program of study of nursing at the associate degree level in 1967. The program was established as a Department of Nursing under the governance of the Academic Dean. This program was fully accredited by the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission (NLNAC) until its closure in 2001. Ms Helen Millian (LTC Ret) served as the founding Chair, Department of Nursing.

The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia granted provisional approval to establish a baccalaureate nursing program in 1983. Dr. Marlene Mitchell-Tibbs was the first BSN Program Director and Ms. Peggy Batastini was promoted to ASN Program Director. The first BSN class was admitted in the fall of 1984. The NLNAC program evaluation visit for initial accreditation of the baccalaureate nursing program took place in November, 1986. A full eight years accreditation was granted by NLNAC in March, 1987.

The Department of Nursing underwent several reorganizations in the following years. After the founding Chair of the Department of Nursing, Ms Helen Millian (LTC Ret) retired in 1990, a new chair, Dr. Joyce Geiger, was hired and served from 1990-1993. The Academic Dean also retired in 1993 and a search for a Department Chair was delayed until a new Dean was appointed. Both the ASN and BSN Directors were responsible to the Acting Dean, College of Science during the two year interim.

A new Dean of the College of Science was hired in 1995 and established the position of Assistant Dean for the College of Science with responsibilities for the Division of Nursing and Health Professions. Dr. Rhonda Hollis served in this position until 2000, when the College of Science was again reorganized, the Division of Nursing returned to Department of Nursing, and the Associate Dean position was eliminated. Ms. Judy Davidson was named Acting Chair of the Department of Nursing and served from 2000 to 2002 when she retired. In 2002, the Dean appointed Dr. June Goyne to the position of Department Chair. She served in this position until 2010. By 2008 BSN program enrollment had tripled as a result of efforts to increase the number of nursing graduates to help alleviate an unprecedented national and local nursing shortage. In 2009, the Department of Nursing was changed to a School of Nursing, a structure better suited to the growth of the undergraduate program and development of a graduate program in nursing. In July 2009, CSU realigned their departments, schools and colleges resulting in the creation of the College of Education & Health Professions (COEHP). The School of Nursing was moved into this college at that time. Also in 2011, the Graduate program was approved by the Board of Regents, set to admit its first students in Fall 2011.

Currently the nursing faculty is composed of 17 full-time positions including the Director of the School of Nursing, Dr. Sheri Noviello. The number of part-time faculty members varies with the number of students enrolled each semester with up to 16 hired at any one time.

Accreditation and Georgia Board of Nursing Approval

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program has full approval by the Georgia Board of Nursing and is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Georgia Board of Nursing 237 Coliseum Drive Macon, GA 31217-3858 Telephone: (912) 207 1640 www.sos.state.ga.us/ebd-rn

Commission on Collegiate Nursing One DuPont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036. Phone: 202-887-6791, Fax 202-887-8476).

http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Accreditation/mission.htm

Columbus State University School of Nursing

Organizational Chart

Director, SON

Associate Director, SON and Undergraduate Programs

Associate Director, Graduate Programs

Administrative Assistant

RN-to-BSN CoordinatorNursing Faculty

FT and PT RN-to-BSN Faculty

Graduate Nursing Faculty

Administrative Secretaries (2)

Nursing Advisors (2)

Admin Support Supervisory Input Shared Faculty

Administration and Faculty Dr. Tim Mescon President, Columbus State University Dr. Tom Hackett Professor and Interim Provost Dr. Barbara Buckner Professor and Dean, College of Education and Health Professions Dr. Sheri Noviello Professor and Director, School of Nursing Dr. Cheryl Smith Associate Professor and Associate Director, Graduate Program Ms. Amanda Hawkins RN-BSN Program Coordinator Faculty Dr. Elizabeth Frander Associate Professor Dr. Gail Jones Associate Professor Ms. Noreen McDonough Associate Professor Ms. LaTonya Santo Associate Professor Ms. Therese Lahnstein Associate Professor Ms. Stephanie Lewis Associate Professor Ms. Tammy Condrey Assistant Professor Ms. Sherika Derico Assistant Professor Ms. Mimi Merriman Assistant Professor Ms. Dell Miller Assistant Professor Ms. Leslie Painter Assistant Professor Ms. Christie Schwarting Assistant Professor Ms. Stacey Meyers-Prosynuik Instructor Ms. Lisa Osteen Instructor Ms. Sally Richter Instructor Part-Time Faculty Ms. Mandy Bowden, BSN, Clinical Instructor Ms. Susan Greer, BSN, Clinical Instructor Ms. Amy Higgins, MSN, Clinical Instructor Mr. Mike Hill, BSN, Clinical Instructor Mr. AJ Hollifield BSN, Clinical Instructor Ms. Tonya Kemper, MSN, Clinical Instructor Ms. Annie Lewis, BSN, Clinical Instructor Ms. Marie McIntosh, BSN, Clinical Instructor Ms. Rachel Posey, BSN, Clinical Instructor Ms. Suzette Ramsey, MSN, Clinical Instructor Ms. Brooke Thompson, BSN, Clinical Instructor Ms. Rita Thrash BSN, Clinical Instructor Mr. Travis Woodley, BSN, Clinical Instructor Ms. Pat Johnson, MSN, Clinical Instructor Ms. Magele Devera, MSN, Clinical Instructor Pre-Nursing Coordinators Ms. Judy Davidson, MSN, Advising/Recruiting, Pre-nursing Coordinator (Professor Emeritus) Ms. Joanne Warden, MSN, Advising/Recruiting, Coordinator for RN-BSN Advisement

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BSN/MSN PROGRAM AND CURRICULUM

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Mission, Philosophy and Program Outcomes School of Nursing, Baccalaureate Program

Mission

School of Nursing Mission Statement

• To achieve academic excellence in nursing education through learner centered teaching, evidence based practice, creative inquiry and student engagement.

• To prepare graduates for a successful nursing career that includes life-long learning, leadership and responsibility through professional nursing practice and service to others.

• To achieve recognition as a leader in nursing within the community through collaborative, public private partnerships and service.

Approved June 2009

BSN Program Mission Statement To prepare caring, competent professional nurse generalists who provide safe, culturally sensitive, patient centered care for diverse patient populations in a variety of settings through interdisciplinary collaboration, evidence based practice, informatics, safety and quality improvement processes, and effective leadership in the roles of provider of care, manager of care, and member of the profession. Approved June 2009

Philosophy/Organizing Framework

The philosophy/organizing framework and learning outcomes of the baccalaureate nursing program are consistent with the vision and mission of Columbus State University, emphasizing academic excellence through learner centered teaching, evidence based practice, creative inquiry, and student engagement. Professional success is promoted through life long learning, leadership, collaborative partnerships and service. The nursing program is based on the following assumptions about individuals, health, nursing, professional nursing education, learning, and teaching. Individuals Individuals are unique and dynamic beings influenced by physical, psychological, social, cultural, behavioral, ethical, developmental, and spiritual variables who are constantly interacting with their environments. Each individual functions as a unified whole, with inherent dignity, worth, and rights. Though unique, individuals are social beings who share common human characteristics, needs, and patterns of behavior as they use adaptive processes to attain or maintain health. Interacting with each other and their environments, people create societies composed of individuals, families, groups,

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communities and populations. A culture exists when such groups share a system of beliefs, values, norms, ethics, and/or social networks. Health Health is a dynamic, adaptive process achieved through physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease. Pursuit of health is both a human right and an individual responsibility. All individuals have the right to health care access, autonomy, and comfort and dignity in death. Nursing Nursing is a professional practice discipline concerned with human responses to health issues throughout the life span. Professional nurses assist patients to maximize their independence and quality of life through the provision of care to promote, maintain, or restore health or to support a peaceful death. Nurse-patient partnerships are developed for mutual planning of care and healthcare decision making. Professional nurses are responsible for:

• Practicing from a holistic, caring framework that respects and addresses patients’ differences, values, preferences and expressed needs

• Practicing from an evidence base in a variety of healthcare settings • Practicing in diverse, complex, ever-changing global environments • Designing and promoting safe, cost-effective, quality patient care • Designing and implementing measures for health promotion and risk reduction • Caring for diverse populations across the health illness continuum and the

lifespan • Caring for an increasing population of elderly patients with multiple chronic

conditions • Using critical thinking as the foundation for professional judgment decision

making and problem solving • Assuming accountability for one’s own and delegated nursing care • Engaging in care of self in order to care for others • Engaging in continuous professional development

Professional Nursing Education Baccalaureate Education is the minimal level of education needed for professional nursing practice in today’s complex health care environment. Baccalaureate education prepares a nurse generalist for practice that integrates the knowledge, skills, and attitudes from eight essential curricular elements:

• Liberal Education • Quality Care and Patient Safety • Evidence Based Practice • Informatics • Health Care Policy, Finance, and Regulatory Environments • Communication and Collaboration • Clinical Prevention and Population Health

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• Professionalism and Professional Values The Baccalaureate graduate is prepared to assume three major nursing roles:

• Provider of Care: In this role, the baccalaureate generalist nurse is a provider of direct and indirect care for diverse populations across all environments. Clinical decisions are made using critical thinking within a legal and ethical framework. The provider of care role is based upon professional knowledge, skills and attitudes related to evidence-based practice, patient-centered care, teamwork and collaboration, safety, quality improvement, informatics and leadership.

• Designer/Manager/Coordinator of Care: In this role, the baccalaureate generalist nurse functions autonomously and interdependently within the health care team. Nurses are accountable for their professional practice and image as well as for outcomes for their own and delegated nursing care. This role is based upon professional knowledge, skills and attitudes related to organization, delegation, supervision, interdisciplinary collaboration, and leadership to promote high quality, cost-effective care within the context of patient values.

• Member of Profession: A baccalaureate generalist nurse possesses a professional identity and is accountable for one’s professional image. This role requires strong critical reasoning, clinical judgment, communication, and assessment skills. The professional nurse is an advocate for the patient and the profession to include policy processes that shape health care delivery and systems of care. The generalist nurse is committed to life-long learning and continuous professional development.

Within these roles, the baccalaureate nursing program emphasizes the interconnectedness of professional nursing concepts to achieve program outcomes. The professional clinical nurse course series encompasses patient-centered care, safety, and quality improvement. The professional development perspective course series include evidence-based practice, leadership, informatics, teamwork and collaboration (see diagram). Other foundational courses, health assessment, pharmacology, pathophysiology, and evidence-based practice, enrich the curriculum with a focus on supporting essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The program culminates with a capstone course that focuses on transition into clinical practice. Learning Learning is a life-long process of gaining knowledge, insights, skills, and new ways of thinking in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains. It is influenced by motivation, life experiences, development, and learning styles. Adults learn best when they are active participants in a learning environment that is relevant, interesting, enjoyable, supportive, and engages a variety of learning styles. Learning occurs best when new concepts, skills and attitudes are integrated with one's past experiences and are applied in authentic, relevant situations. Learners are responsible for initiating and sustaining efforts to learn and actively engaging in learning activities.

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Teaching Teaching is a collaborative process in which both teachers and students are active participants and learners. The teacher serves as a mentor, coach, facilitator, role model and consultant. Effective teaching is based upon expert discipline knowledge, learning theory and strategies, and respect for learners as self-directed adults. The role of the teacher is to create a rich learning environment and develop meaningful learning activities that:

• provide connections with students' prior knowledge and experiences • stimulate learner interest • are relevant to learning goals • accommodate different learning styles • actively engage the learner • provide an appropriate balance of structure and flexibility • progress from structured to facilitated to self-directed

Expected Program Outcomes

The Bachelor of Science in nursing program prepares a nurse generalist with a liberal arts background who focuses upon treating human responses to actual or potential health problems. Graduates are expected to meet the following program outcomes to function in entry-level nursing practice positions.

• Graduates will provide safe, patient centered care in a variety of settings. • Graduates will apply concepts of safe practice to promote optimal patient clinical

outcomes. • Graduates will apply the quality improvement process to ensure patient safety

and to meet desired clinical outcomes. • Graduates will use sound evidence to make appropriate clinical decisions. • Graduates will communicate and collaborate with members of the

interdisciplinary health care team in a professional and effective manner, through verbal, non-verbal, written and electronic means to improve patient outcomes and teamwork.

• Graduates will integrate information technology into nursing practice in a variety of settings.

• Graduates will function as a leader within the nursing roles provider of care, manager of care, and member of the profession.

Adopted May 2008 Revised July 2010

COLUMBUS STATE UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF NURSING BACCALAUREATE PROGRAM

CURRICULUM SCHEMA: Pre-Licensure Student

Pre-nursing: Lower Division Course Requirements – Total Credits = 63 FRESHMAN FALL SEMESTER SPRING SEMESTER

*CHEM 1151 (Inorganic Chemistry; Area D) 3-0-3 *CHEM 1151L (Inorganic Chemistry, Area D) 0-2-1 *ENGL 1101 (Area A) 3-0-3 MATH (Area A Elective) 3-0-3 HUMANITIES (Area C Elective) 3-0-3 PELM 1205 (Wellness Requirement) 1-2-2

TOTAL CREDITS 15

*CHEM 1152 (Organic Chemistry; Area D) 3-0-3 *CHEM 1152L (Organic Chemistry, Area D) 0-2-1 *ENGL 1102 (Area A) 3-0-3 COMM 1101 (Area B) 3-0-3 FINE ARTS (Area C Elective) 3-0-3 HIST 2111 or 2112 (Area E) 3-0-3

TOTAL CREDITS 16

SOPHOMORE FALL SEMESTER SPRING SEMESTER

*BIOL 2221 (A&P 1, Area F) 3-2-4 PSYC 1101 (Area F) 3-0-3 WORLD CULT (Area E elective) 3-0-3 MATH 1127 (Statistics, Area F) 3-0-3 BEH SCI (Area E Elective) 3-0-3

TOTAL CREDITS

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*BIOL 2222 (A&P 2, Area F) 3-2-4 *BIOL 2225 (Microbiology, Area F) 3-2-4 POLS 1101 (Area E) 3-0-3 PEDS (Wellness Elective) 0-2-1 ITDS or FOREIGN LANGUAGE (Area B Option) 1-0-1 SCIENCE / MATH / TECH (Area D Elective) 3-0-3

TOTAL CREDITS 16

Nursing: Upper Division Course Requirements – Total Credits = 60 JUNIOR FALL SEMESTER SPRING SEMESTER

NURS 3275 (Professional Clinical Nursing I) 5-9-8 NURS 3276 (Health Assessment) 1-3-2 NURS 3175 (Pharmacology) 4-0-4 NURS 3111 (Professional Development Perspectives I) 1-0-1

TOTAL CREDITS 15

NURS 3277 (Professional Clinical Nursing II) 7-11-10 NURS 3279 (Pathophysiology) 3-0-3 NURS 3112 (Professional Development Perspectives II) 2-0-2

TOTAL CREDITS 15

SENIOR FALL SEMESTER SPRING SEMESTER NURS 4280 (Professional Clinical Nursing III) 7-11-10 NURS 4275 (Evidence-Based Practice) 3-0-3 NURS 4111 (Professional Development Perspectives III) 2-0-2

TOTAL CREDITS 15

NURS 4112 (Professional Development Perspectives IV) 2-0-2 NURS 4279 (Complex Care) 7-11-10 NURS 4377 (Senior Preceptorship) 0-9-3

TOTAL CREDITS 15

DEGREE: Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing (BSN) Non-Nursing Credits = 63 Nursing Credits = 60 Total Credits = 123

*STARRED courses = AREA F = MUST PASS WITH GRADE OF “C” OR BETTER BEFORE ENTERING NURSING PROGR

JG/jg BSN Regular Plan 4 YR Updated 07/26/10

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BSN DEGREE REQUIREMENTS:

ACADEMIC AREA REQUIREMENTS

COURSES ACADEMIC AREA REQUIREMENTS COURSES

AREA A – Essential Skills REQ HRS: 9

AREA F – Courses To Major REQ HRS: 18

English Composition 1 ENGL 1101 Human Anatomy & Physiology 1 BIOL 2221 English Composition 2 ENGL 1102 Human Anatomy & Physiology 2 BIOL 2222 Microbiology for Health Sciences BIOL 2225

AREA B - Institutional Options REQ HRS: 5

Introduction to General Psychology PSYC 1101

Communications COMM 1101 Introductory Statistics MATH 1127 ITDS or Foreign Language

AREA C - Humanities / Fine Arts REQ HRS: 6

AREA G – Program Requirements REQ HRS: 60

Fine Arts Elective Professional Clinical Nursing I NURS 3275 Humanities Elective Professional Development Perspectives I NURS 3111 Pharmacology in Nursing NURS 3175

AREA D – Science / Math / Technology REQ HRS: 10

Health Assessment NURS 3276

Survey of Chemistry 1 (Inorganic) CHEM 1151 Professional Clinical Nursing II NURS 3277 Survey of chemistry 1 Lab CHEM 1151L Professional Development Perspectives II NURS 3112 Survey of Chemistry 2 (Organic) CHEM 1152 Pathophysiology NURS 3279 Survey of chemistry 2 Lab CHEM 1152L Evidence Based Practice NURS 4175 Science / Math / Technology Elective Professional Clinical Nursing III NURS 4280 Professional Development Perspectives III NURS 4111

AREA E – Social Sciences REQ HRS: 12 Professional Clinical Nursing IV NURS 4279

History HIST 2111 or 2112

Professional Development Perspectives IV NURS 4112

Government POLS 1101 Senior Preceptorship (capstone course) NURS 4377 World Cultures Elective Behavioral Sciences Elective

WELLNESS REQUIREMENT REQ HRS: 3

Concepts of Fitness PELM 1205 PED Elective (select any ONE)

JG/jg Updated 07/16/07; 07/08/09; 07/26/10

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Nursing Teaching Facilities

The hub of on-campus activities in nursing education at CSU is Illges Hall. FIRST FLOOR: • Large media-equipped classroom • 2 Small campus labs (8-bed)

o 2 high fidelity adult mannequins o 1 high fidelity infant

manikin o 8 VitalSims mannequins

• Sounds Tutor lab (7 stations) • Small media-equipped 5-station

computer lab • Student Nurses Association office • Faculty Offices SECOND FLOOR • Large media-equipped classroom • Media equipped 24-station computer lab/classroom with instructor station • Media equipped conference/classroom with large conference table • Faculty Offices THIRD FLOOR • Large 100+ seat media equipped tiered classroom • Large Campus Lab (15 beds) • Small media-equipped 7-station computer lab • School of Nursing Administrative Suite • Conference room with large conference table • Faculty Offices

The main nursing lab (Illges 317) is setup as a mini-hospital unit with mannequins, equipment, supplies, materials, and other teaching aids used by students to learn and practice nursing skills. Inside the main nursing lab is a clinical simulation lab where students have access to various clinical computer simulations (eg. Sounds Tutor heart and breath sounds; EKG simulation). A second campus nursing lab is housed on the first floor where a 7-bed mini-hospital is setup and functions like the main lab. The nursing student computer lab/classroom (Illges 201) contains 24 student computers and one instructor computer connected to the CSU intranet and server as well as a laser printer. Students must supply their own paper and the School of Nursing supplies the ink.

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Community facilities provide essential clinical learning environments for CSU nursing students, where they gain practical, hands-on experience under the supervision of the faculty. Major facilities are described below.

Columbus Regional Healthcare System

Columbus Regional Healthcare System, Inc. provides clinical learning environments in several of its facilities, which includes three hospitals, two nursing homes, and a cancer center. For all details, please visit their website @ www.columbusregional.com. The Medical Center The Medical Center, Inc. is a 413 bed tertiary level, acute care facility and is the only facility with an inpatient pediatrics unit, PICU and NICU. Patient services include adult medical surgical units, medical and surgical ICU's, a telemetry unit, Level III High Risk Perinatal Program, Labor and Delivery ( including high risk obstetrics), full service Emergency Department and a level II trauma center. This facility serves 17 counties in Georgia and 2 counties in Alabama. Doctors Hospital Doctors Hospital is a 219-bed full service facility which offers full medical and surgical services, Business Health, Cardiac Catheterization, Emergency Department, One Baby Place, Outpatient Surgery, Radiology, Rehabilitation Services, Sleep Disorders Center, Telemetry/CCU, Women's Imaging Center, and H2U (Health, Happiness, You). Hughston Hospital Hughston Orthopedic Hospital was the nation’s first hospital designed specifically to treat patients with musculoskeletal injuries or disorders. Today, the 100-bed, private room, hospital provides excellence in comprehensive orthopedic care and rehabilitation services through a highly specialized team of professionals using the latest technology and research to care for people of every age and ability and every level of musculoskeletal injury or disorder. John B. Amos Cancer Center Additional clinical sites for nursing learning environments include the John B. Amos Cancer Center, a fully accredited community cancer and multiple outpatient clinics. Nursing Homes Hamilton House is a 128 bed nursing facility which includes 54 intermediate care beds, 54 skilled care beds and a 19 be sub acute rehabilitation unit. The facility provides care to patients needing long term nursing needs as well as short term rehabilitation services to patients recovering from acute injuries, illness or surgery in preparation for their discharge home.

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Azalea Trace Nursing facility provides 110 beds to patients needing long term nursing needs as well as short term rehabilitation services to patients recovering from acute injuries, illness or surgery in preparation for their discharge home.

St Francis Hospital

St. Francis Hospital is a 376-bed facility, offering a full range of inpatient, outpatient and emergency room services. The Bradley Center, their mental health facility, has 84 beds. Additionally, 60 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments for assisted living are available at Franciscan Woods, an assisted living community in north Columbus. Their facilities also include the Patrick Heart Institute of St. Francis, St. Francis Orthopaedic Institute, St. Francis Center for Surgical Care, St. Francis Rehabilitation Center, The Women's Center of St. Francis, Home Medical Equipment of St. Francis, The Cancer Program of St. Francis and many other services in the St. Francis continuum of care. For all details please visit their website @ www.sfhga.com.

West Central Georgia Regional Hospital

WCGRH is located in Columbus Georgia and provides inpatient services to consumers from 28 counties. WCGRH has the following treatment units: adult mental health and secure long-term care. The hospital can serve a total of 145 clients at any point in time.

Martin Army Community Hospital

Fort Benning's MEDDAC, a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Medical Command, furnishes medical care to an eligible patient population in excess of 72,000 beneficiaries. Its primary facility is Martin Army Community Hospital (MACH), Building 9200, conveniently located off I-185 and Marne Road. In 1995 the hospital received full Accreditation with Commendation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), an honor reserved for only the finest hospitals in the nation. Within the hospital's 10 floors, four of which are patient wards, an extensive surgical suite with same-day capabilities, a labor-delivery and recovery suite, and over 36 ambulatory care clinics. Martin Army Community Hospital maintains a fully accredited laboratory service, diagnostic radiology with computerized tomography and nuclear medicine, an extensive pharmacy service, and many other ancillary support services. The 70-bed facility at Fort Benning is expected to be completed by January 2014 and accept its first patients by September 2014. It will replace the 53-year-old hospital on Marne Road, one of the oldest in the Army.

Columbus Specialty Hospital

The Columbus Specialty Hospital is a 50-bed, long-term acute care hospital for critically ill patients who need a longer recovery time. It is a private, not-for-profit corporation with its own board of directors, medical staff and chief executive officer and is located

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on the ninth and tenth floors of The Medical Center in Columbus, GA. The average length of stay is more than twenty-five days. The hospital treats patients suffering from medically complex conditions; pulmonary disorders and ventilator weaning, neurological illnesses and post trauma as well as complex wound care.

Jack Hughston Memorial Hospital

Jack Hughston Memorial Hospital is a 70-bed, 110,000 square-foot full-service facility, including Surgical services, an eight-bed Intensive Care Unit, proposed Cardiac Cath Lab, full-service Diagnostic Imaging Department with a 64-Slice CT Scanner, MRI, mammography, X-Ray, ultrasound and nuclear medicine, and a 24-hour Emergency Services Department to support 30,000 visits per year.

Columbus Department of Public Health

Columbus Health Department (West Central Health District) is a general public health facility that provides a wide variety of service, including antepartal (including high risk), pediatric, well-child, high-risk pediatric, and family follow-up care. Various clinics are used for community health experiences.

Muscogee County Jail and Prison Clinics

The Muscogee County Jail and Prison Clinics are a combination of acute care and infirmary, which provide the full spectrum of medical intervention to a daily inmate population of 1,800. Through a combination of in-patient care and collaboration with community medical providers the two clinics offer services to its patients, reflecting the service available within the community which include chronic care, emergency care, dental and mental health. The clinics employ 4 physicians, 2 dentists, 2 psychiatrists, 1 clinical psychologist, and over 30 RNs and LPNs and Medical Technicians. Additional Clinical Facilities Columbus Hospice Vista Care Hospice Phenix City Schools Pediatria Pediatric Acute Care Martin Army Community Hospital Pediatric Clinic Care South Phenix City School District Valley Healthcare New Horizons NOTE: Clinical facility agreements are in place with a number of other health care facilities and clinics to meet the educational needs of CSU nursing students.

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Professional Nursing

Organizations

Columbus State University Association of Nursing Students (CSU-ANS) Georgia Association of Nursing Students (GANS) (www.GANSINFO.org )

This organization is a local chapter of the National Student Nurses Association, whose mission is to “mentor students preparing for initial licensure as registered nurses, and to convey the standards, ethics, and skills that students will need as responsible and accountable leaders and members of the profession.” The local chapter provides an opportunity for both pre-nursing and upper division nursing students to participate in professional nursing activities at the local, state and national levels. Local, state and national events provide leadership and career development, opportunities to listen to renowned nursing leaders, workshops and panels on job opportunities, and the chance to network with hundreds of other students. The nationally sponsored programs include a state board licensing exam mini review which is always popular with students. The local chapter sponsors varying activities each year. National Student Nurses Association (NSNA) (www.nsna.org ) NSNA is the only national organization for nursing students and is the largest independent student professional organization in the United States. NSNA’s mission is to mentor students preparing for initial licensure as registered nurses, and to convey the standards, ethics, and skills that students will need as responsible and accountable leaders and members of the profession.

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The mission of NSNA is to: - organize, represent and mentor students preparing for initial licensure as

registered nurses, as well as those nurses enrolled in baccalaureate completion programs;

- promote development of skills needed to be responsible and accountable members of the nursing profession;

- advocate high quality health care.

The purpose of NSNA is to assume responsibility for contributing to nursing education in order to provide for the highest quality health care; to provide programs representative of fundamental and current professional interests and concerns and to aid in the development of the whole person, his/her professional role, and his/her responsibility for the health care of people in all walks of life. NSNA does this by: influencing the educational process; promoting and encouraging participation in community affairs and activities; representing students to the consumer, to institutions and other organizations; promoting and encouraging student participation in interdisciplinary activities and recruitment efforts regardless of a person’s race, color, creed, life style, sex, national origin, age or economic status; and promoting collaborative relationships with other nursing and health organizations.

Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing

www.nursingsociety.org

Pi Beta Chapter is the 384th chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, which was established in 1922. The Honor Society is committed to fostering excellence, scholarship, and leadership in nursing to improve health care worldwide. The society promotes the use of nursing research and health care delivery and makes its resources available to all people and institutions interested in the latest nursing care knowledge. Sigma Theta Tau International is the second largest and one of the most prestigious nursing organizations in the world. The society is comprised of chapters located on more than 400 college and university campuses in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, South Korea, Taiwan, and Australia. Membership is by invitation based on specific national Sigma Theta Tau guidelines and is conferred upon students in baccalaureate programs, students in graduate nursing programs, and practicing nurses who are community leaders and demonstrate excellence in scholarship and exceptional achievement in nursing. The induction ceremony for the Pi Beta Chapter is held each spring in May.

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NURSING PROGRAM

ADMISSION and PROGRESSION POLICIES

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Admission Requirements: Undergraduate Students (Subject to change in January of any year for the next fall semester)

Pre-nursing students must have:

• successfully completed core course requirements (each science course and lab with a grade of “C” or better) prior to acceptance into the nursing program (Junior level nursing courses).

• earned a minimum nursing grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 based on a 4.0 scale (the "nursing grade point average" is calculated in the School of Nursing and is based only on those pre-requisite courses required for the nursing degree)

• passed all required science courses and labs with a grade of "C" or better with no more than one second attempt to pass one science course (two science course failures within five years of potential admission date excludes a student from eligibility to apply for the nursing program). The Georgia Board of Regents requires a grade of “C” or better in English 1101 and 1102 for graduation.

• passed the Nursing Admission Exam (minimum score 70 on each required portion AND average on all required portions of 75 or greater; contact CSU Testing Center for details

• submitted a completed application including all requirements outlined in the application

• positive professional references • completed sufficient core and pre-requisite courses (see nursing advisor for more

information) • NOT been excluded from another nursing program for any reason, including (but

not limited to) academic dishonesty, disruptive behavior, or course failure (If student attended another nursing program they must submit a letter from the school’s Director or Dean of Nursing indicating their eligibility to return)

• met all "Essential Functions and Performance Standards" (listed below) An entrance exam is required and the resulting scores are used in the admission process. Details are provided to students during pre-nursing advising. Refer to current online CSU catalog.

Course Withdrawal

Refer to current CSU guidelines for course withdrawal. Withdrawal from a nursing course counts as one course attempt when interpreting the CSU BSN Progression guidelines. In extremely extenuating circumstances beyond a student’s control, an exception to this policy may be requested and will be considered by the nursing faculty. The nursing faculty will retain the authority to approve or deny the request. If you are considering withdrawing from a nursing course, please see an instructor or advisor for assistance. Withdrawal may not be needed.

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Essential Abilities and Performance Standards Requirements The BSN program mission is to prepare nurse generalists with basic competence in all areas of professional nursing practice. The following performance standards are set forth so that students will understand the essential eligibility requirements for participation and progression in the baccalaureate nursing program at Columbus State University. These standards include intellectual/cognitive, observation, interpersonal/communication, motor, and behavioral functions. The ability to assess and observe, plan, implement, and evaluate nursing care for a patient in a reasonably independent manner is an expectation of the School of Nursing.

Essential Abilities and Performance Standards (List not exhaustive)

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS EXAMPLES OF PERFORMANCE STANDARDS INTELLECTUAL / COGNITIVE – A student must be able to think clearly and critically in order to make effective decisions and judgments.

• Short and long term recall of specifics, ways and means of dealing with specifics, as well as universal and abstract concepts related to nursing.

• Translate, interpret, and extrapolate information. • Transfer and apply knowledge from one situation to another. • Analyze elements, relationships, and organizational principles, recognizing

unstated assumptions and distinguishing fact from hypothesis. • Synthesize information and knowledge, producing a unique

communication or plan or idea not clearly present before. • Evaluate by judging in terms of evidence (eg. logical accuracy,

consistency, and other internal criteria) as well as compare to professional nursing standards and other accepted criteria.

• Think in a way that considers and reasons within multiple points of view. CSU Dept of Nursing, BSN Program NLNAC Self Study, Fall 2002, p. 72

Adapted from Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Objectives, 1956 Adapted from Morrison et al, Critical Thinking & Test Item Analysis, p. 166

OBSERVATION – A student must be able to independently read and understand written documents and computer screens and to observe a patient accurately using the senses of hearing, smell, vision, and touch.

• Hear heart and breath sounds, blood pressure, normal & faint voices, auditory alarms, and in noisy environments.

• Visualize objects from 20 inches to 20 feet away (including depth perception & peripheral vision) such as patient records, appearance of a wound, skin color, gait)

• Detect the presence of a foul odor • Palpate an abdomen, a pulse, skin temperature, sizes and shapes.

COMMUNICATION - A student must be able to communicate effectively verbally, non-verbally and in writing and using technology with others (for example: patients, families, peers, faculty, and members of the health care team).

• Establish rapport with patient, family, caregivers, & colleagues, while establishing therapeutic interpersonal boundaries.

• Communicate verbally, nonverbally or in written format with all members of the health care team, peers, and faculty with professionalism, positive attitude, respect and courtesy.

• Elicit information from a patient, family and caregivers. • Explain care and treatments and provide patient teaching applying

teaching & learning principles and methods • Demonstrate procedures and regimens • Perceive non-verbal communication of others • Accurately describe patient, clinical, and other health related situations. • Communicate using computers and computer technology.

MOTOR – A student must have adequate motor function to effectively work with nursing problems and issues and carry out related nursing care.

• Safely, reliably and efficiently move from place to place and position to position including pushing, pulling, stooping, and bending in order to provide physical aspects of nursing care (eg. assisting patient ambulation, moving & positioning patients in bed, opening an obstructed airway, applying pressure to stop bleeding, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, pushing wheelchairs/stretchers).

• Safely, reliably and efficiently provide aspects of nursing care requiring

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ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS EXAMPLES OF PERFORMANCE STANDARDS manual dexterity (eg. administration of medications by all routes, changing dressings, providing basic hygiene care).

BEHAVIORAL - A student must possess the emotional health required for total utilization of his/her intellectual abilities

• Tolerate physically and emotionally taxing workloads and function effectively during stressful situations.

• Display flexibility in adapting to ever-changing situations and environments, dealing effectively with the unexpected.

• Safely, reliably and efficiently function in an environment of uncertainty that is inherent in clinical situations involving patients.

• Effectively and efficiently perform multiple tasks concurrently. • Interact with others in a manner that is positive and promotes trust and

confidence in others. Adapted with permission from: Medical College of Georgia. January 1993 Armstrong Atlantic State University, 2003 Updated 06/30/03; 7/8/07; Reviewed by CSU Office Disability Services 7/29/2009

Disability Services Office

The Office of Disability Services coordinates the compliance of Columbus State University with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, not merely to achieve legality, but to foster academic potential through individualized plans tailored to the particular needs of students with disabilities.

Students with documented physical, psychological, or cognitive disabilities should contact the Office of Disability Services as early as possible so that proper accommodations may be made in a timely manner. If you have a documented disability as described by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 933-112 Section 504) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that may require you to need assistance attaining accessibility to instructional content to meet course requirements, we recommend that you contact the Office of Disability Services as soon as possible. It takes approximately 5 days to process a new student, which includes not only review of disability documentation, but also attending an intake meeting with the disability services professional. Scheduling the intake appointment with the Office of Disability Services is the responsibility of the student.

The office of Disability Services can assist you and your instructors in formulating a reasonable accommodations plan for your disability. Course requirements will not be waived but accommodations may be made to assist you to meet the requirements. Technical support may also be available to meet your specific need.

Contact: Joy Norman Coordinator of Disability Services, Schuster Center (706) 507-8755

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Pre-Clinical Requirements Policy

PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines to insure timely submission and verification of all pre-clinical requirements for nursing students, including but not limited to CPR certification, immunizations, criminal background check, urine drug screen, health screening and professional liability insurance. These are clinical facility requirements and completion of each is mandatory prior to being enrolled in clinical nursing courses and participating in clinical experiences within clinical facilities. Failure to comply may result in late registration fees (if compliance occurs but is late) or exclusion from the nursing course (non-compliance with any requirement or not accepted by clinical facilities). POLICY Student Instructions • For those requirements that are renewed annually, students must provide

documentation of renewal before registration for the next semester can occur. • Provide the ORIGINAL and a COPY of each of the required documents to the BSN

secretary …the copy will be kept in student’s permanent file and the original retained by the student.

• Provide ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION by the designated deadline in order to be enrolled OR remain in clinical nursing courses.

• All requirements MUST BE CURRENT and MUST NOT EXPIRE BEFORE THE END OF THE TERM. For example, if CPR certification expires in October for a student entering fall semester courses, a new certification that does not expire prior to December 15 must be obtained and presented by the deadline.

Any student NOT meeting the requirements by the deadline MUST MEET THEM in time for LATE REGISTRATION or they may lose their position in desired classes. LATE FEES WILL APPLY. Health History and Physical Examination: Students are required to submit a physical examination documented within 6 months prior to beginning junior level nursing courses. The provided student examination form must be used. This is a one time only requirement. Professional Liability Insurance: Liability insurance provides insurance coverage to pay for legal defense needs stemming from a malpractice lawsuit involving action or inaction while working in the role of a nursing student. It provides coverage ONLY for incidents that occur within the scope of the nursing student role as part of the nursing program at CSU. It does not cover activities outside of the official student role. It is NOT health insurance…it covers only liability stemming from nursing practice as a student. Students must carry at least $1 million coverage, which is a clinical agency requirement. This coverage must be renewed each year with the specific company selected by the School of Nursing (SON). The vendor is chosen based on quality of coverage for all program activities as well as price. .

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When funds are available, the premiums are paid for by the School of Nursing.

Criminal Background Check & Drug Screen: Clinical facilities require that every student pass a criminal background and urine drug screen prior to being allowed to enter the facility for clinical experiences. This background check must be performed by a vendor designated and approved by all involved healthcare facilities. Because all CSU nursing students rotate through all major clinical facilities in order to gain required learning experiences, a student not accepted by one of the major facilities based on the review of their criminal background or urine drug screen will be unable to complete clinical requirements and will thus be excluded from the nursing program. BCLS Certification All nursing students must show proof of Healthcare Provider level CPR certification (which includes adult, child, infant, and AED for adult and child). All health care facilities require certification in accordance with American Heart Association standards and will not accept American Red Cross. The original certification card must be presented to the School of Nursing secretary by the given deadlines. If current certification expires before the end of the semester for which the student is being enrolled, the student must provide proof of renewal of BCLS certification in the form of an up to date certification card, or the student will not be allowed to register for that semester. Immunizations It is the student’s responsibility to provide original documentation that he/she has met all health and immunization requirements prior to being enrolled in clinical nursing courses. Junior students are sent a letter at the time of acceptance into the program specifying immunization requirements. Senior students must have met all immunization requirements prior to registering for fall semester and present annual TB skin testing results and proof of immunization to the nursing office.

• Required one time upon admission to program o MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) OR positive blood titer for each o Hepatitis B Series (series of 3 injections may be in progress rather

than complete) BUT must be completed prior to participating in clinical experiences.

o Varicella (Chicken Pox) vaccination OR positive blood titer for varicella.

o tDAP immunization (new tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis vaccine for adults)

• Negative PPD (TB Skin test) OR if positive, evidence of follow-up evaluation with chest x-ray. Required annually.

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ANNUAL REQUIREMENTS (summary) • Certification in BLS (Basic Life Support) for HealthCare Providers)

o Includes adult, child, infant and adult/child AED. o In accordance with American Heart Association standards

• Negative PPD (TB Skin test) OR if positive, evidence of follow-up evaluation with chest x-ray.

NOTE: PRECLINICAL REQUIREMENTS MAY BE ADDED AT ANY TIME DUE TO NEW HEALTH FACILITY REQUIREMENTS. JG/jg CSU BSN Student Handbook/Preclinical Requirement Policy Reviewed by Judicial Affairs August 2004; Reviewed and updated annually; Last review 7/6/2011

Progression Requirements

A student who has failed OR withdrawn from a clinical or non-clinical nursing course will be allowed to repeat it only once. A second failure of or withdrawal from the course, OR failure of or withdrawal from a second nursing course, will result in exclusion from the BSN program (CSU Catalog 2010-11.) The following are BSN Program student requirements that directly affect student progression within the program:

1. Pass required drug calculation proficiency examinations (see Drug Calculation

Proficiency Examination policy). 2. Complete specialty examinations (see Achievement Examination policy and Exit

Examination Policy) 3. Successful completion of Skills Validation (see Skills Validation policy) 4. Compliance with CSU Academic Honesty Policy (see Academic Honesty policy) 5. Evidence of required pre-clinical requirements (see Clinical Agency and Health

Related Policy and Student Preclinical Requirements Policy in this handbook).

Re-admission to Nursing Courses/Program: Criteria Students who have failed OR withdrawn from one nursing course for any reason may be considered for readmission the next time the course is offered (or as directed by the Director, School of Nursing). The following rules apply:

1. A letter requesting readmission must be submitted to the Director, SON at least one semester before the requested return semester.

2. The student must be eligible to enroll at Columbus State University in good academic standing.

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3. The student must have a nursing grade point average of 2.0 or higher for all required courses completed toward the degree.

4. Resources and space must be available in the required course that is to be repeated.

5. Student performance and disposition during the previous admission to the School of Nursing will be highly considered during the re-admission process, therefore re-acceptance is not guaranteed.

6. A student who fails to request readmission the next time the course is offered may be allowed to re-apply to repeat the entire program. The application will be considered competitively with all other applicants.

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Skills Validation Policy

Purpose The purpose of clinical skills testing is to validate that students have correctly performed these VERY BASIC skills at least once at designated points during the nursing program. The skills included for testing have been selected and designated by the faculty as essential to nursing practice. There are many skills taught as part of basic nursing education that are important for practice, thus the validated skills alone DO NOT prepare students for nursing practice. In addition, passing a skills test does NOT GUARANTEE COMPETENCE in future skill performance. Passing a skills test merely reflects the one-time correct performance of a skill as verified by an instructor. It is each student’s responsibility to maintain competence in skills once passed and to apply these skills in future clinical situations. Skills Validation Just as it is necessary to pass written examinations in order to pass a course, it is also necessary to pass certain skills tests in designated courses. Each required skill appears in this test booklet along with the course(s) in which the skill will be tested. Students MUST be tested and pass each skill in the course that is underlined in the skills booklet. Each skill is taught in a nursing course and opportunities to practice the skill, either in a campus lab simulation or a clinical situation, are provided. During skill practice opportunities, it is each student’s responsibility to seek guidance and feedback from faculty. After practicing a skill, each student is expected to be prepared to test on that skill. Once in the testing situation, the students indicate when they are ready to begin and end the exam. Once a skills test is in progress, the instructor will provide NO GUIDANCE in skill performance. Once a skills test is in progress, only the instructor can terminate without penalty. Each skill is broken down into “critical elements” for evaluation purposes. Failure to perform ANY ONE of these critical elements results in failure of that skill. Each time a skill is attempted, the entire skill must be completed and is again re-tested. A skills test can be repeated two times if necessary after remediation. If the third attempt is unsuccessful, this constitutes a course failure with a grade of “F”.

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POPOG

NURSING PROGRAM POLICIES

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Academic Honesty Policy The Columbus State University (CSU) Baccalaureate Nursing Program recognizes honesty and integrity as essential virtues of academic life as well as professional nursing practice. The BSN Program supports and follows the CSU Academic Honesty Policy, which is available in the online CSU Student Handbook.

I. Student Responsibilities The following is an outline of the responsibilities of students, both as individuals and as groups, at Columbus State University as outlined in the CSU student handbook 2010-2011, page 62-63. It is the official record of all conduct and traffic regulations, rules affecting student organizations and group activities, and student oriented and administrative policies and procedures.

A. Academic Misconduct The University recognizes honesty and integrity as central virtues of academic life and as fully necessary to its very existence. The university also recognizes and accepts that cooperation, discussion, and group studying outside of the classroom are essential elements of the academic experience, and that students may seek assistance in their studies, such as tutoring or peer review. However, while such practices are acceptable and even encouraged, students must understand the parameters of accountability in their academic performance and need to respect the academic freedom of the faculty. Therefore, the following regulations are published in the interest of protecting the equity and the validity of the student’s grades and degrees, and in order to assist the student in developing standards and attitudes appropriate to academic life:

1. During examinations no student shall use materials not authorized by the instructor.

2. No student or other person shall obtain and furnish to any other student materials which can be shown to contain the questions or answers to any examination scheduled to be given at any date in any course offered by the university.

3. No student shall knowingly receive and use materials, which can be shown to contain the questions, or answers to any examination scheduled to be given at any date in any course offered by the university.

4. No student shall receive or give assistance in preparation of any assignment, essay, laboratory report or examination to be submitted as a requirement for any academic course in such a way

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that the submitted work can no longer be considered the personal effort of the student submitting the work. In the case of tutoring, peer review and similar instances of assistance, a special effort must be made to retain this distinction and the integrity of the student’s personal performance.

5. In some cases, tutoring may border on academic irregularity; in the case of course requirements for a grade, it is the student’s responsibility to clarify the instructor’s policy. If the student is uncertain as to the direction of the instructor, it is the student’s responsibility to seek clarification from the instructor.

6. Plagiarism is prohibited. Themes, essays, term papers, tests, and other requirements for a grade, must be the work of the student submitting them. When direct quotations are used, they must be indicated, and when the ideas of another are incorporated in the paper, they must be appropriately acknowledged. Term papers, reports, reviews, or other assignments may not be purchased for submission in lieu of the student’s own efforts.

7. Any person taking, or attempting to take, steal or otherwise procure in any unauthorized manner any material pertaining to the conduct of a class, including tests, examinations, laboratory equipment, roll books, etc., shall be in violation of these regulations.

Above material obtained from the CSU Student Handbook 2010-2011

The following School of Nursing regulations are followed to protect the quality and validity of nursing student’s grades and degrees.

1. Plagiarism is prohibited and copyright infringement is unlawful and prohibited. Written assignments (care plans, clinical pathways, variance reports, teaching projects, etc) and other requirements for a grade must be the original work of the student submitting the assignments. Please refer to the current APA manual for further information. Written work or other assignments may not be borrowed or purchased for submission in lieu of the student’s own efforts. The online Plagiarism Tutorial is required of each student as the following policy outlines.

a. The tutorial will be required as part of NURS 3111, Professional Development Perspectives I.

b. The tutorial must be completed before submission of the first written assignment.

c. Students must achieve 75% or better in order to pass. d. Students will have unlimited opportunities to achieve 75% on the

tutorial.

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e. If the above requirements are not met, exclusion from NURS 3111, Professional Development Perspectives I will result.

2. Students are allowed to bring whiteboards/marker/eraser and car keys only into

an exam. All other items must be left in their assigned locker or their vehicle.

3. No student shall obtain and furnish to any other student materials which can be shown to contain the questions or answers to any examination scheduled to be given at any date in any course offered in this program.

4. No student shall knowingly receive and use materials, which can be shown to

contain the questions, or answers to any examination. Students are responsible for keeping their eyes on their exam, covering their answer sheet, and securing belongings in their assigned locker or vehicle. No caps, hats, or visors will be worn during an exam.

5. No student shall give or receive assistance in preparation of any assignment,

laboratory report, or examination to be submitted as a requirement for any academic course in such a way that the submitted work can no longer be considered the personal effort of the student submitted the work.

6. If a student is uncertain about the requirement for the assigned work, it is the

student’s responsibility to clarify this with the instructor before due date. 7. Any person taking, or attempting to take, steal, or otherwise procure in any

unauthorized manner any material pertaining to the conduct of a class, including examinations, laboratory equipment, roll books, etc., shall be in violation of these regulations and will receive a zero for the assignment and/or possible exclusion from the course, nursing program and the university. This include the printing of exams from any online course that delivers online examinations.

The nursing faculty believes that nurses must maintain a high level of integrity. Integrity is demonstrated by honesty, fairness, respect, and trust. As a measure of accountability, students are required to sign the Honor Pledge which is printed on the last form in this handbook acknowledging that he/she has read and understands the handbook. Breaches in academic honesty may result in permanent dismissal from the Baccalaureate Nursing Program.

Definitions:

Cheating: Wrongful giving, taking, altering or fabrication of any course work

(examinations, written reports, care plans, etc.) for the purpose of gain for self or others.

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Plagiarism: The act of copying, stealing, or using another’s ideas, words, or specific substances as one’s own without giving credit to the source.

Copyright Infringement: The act of copying, stealing, or using another’s

ideas, words, or specific substances as one’s own without written permission and giving credit to the source..

Misrepresentation: Work submitted improperly or falsely to meet course

requirements.

Achievement Examination Policy

Purpose The purposes of the Nursing Achievement Examinations are to:

• To provide ongoing feedback to students and faculty regarding student achievement in the nursing program.

• Evaluate overall knowledge and competence related to NCLEX-RN. • Prepare students for success on the NCLEX-RN.

Specialty Achievement Examinations A series of Specialty Achievement Exams are given at selected points throughout the program and include the final exam for NURS 4377, the capstone nursing course at the end of the program. The examination process provides not only testing, but also feedback and teaching through review of the answers and rationales for exam items. Students are responsible for paying the costs of these examinations through Nursing Exam Fees charged with tuition each semester. Courses may use the achievement exam as the final exam for the course and/or for points counted into the course grade. Students are highly encouraged to give these exams their best effort in order to receive valid feedback on their own strengths and weaknesses. Students scoring below a 900 benchmark score are responsible for reviewing areas of weakness for improvement and may be required to repeat the exam. Exact timing of these exams will be provided to students as they progress through the program.

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ATTENDANCE POLICY

Attendance in class, clinical laboratory experiences and campus lab is expected and necessary to meet course and clinical objectives. As part of professional behavior, students are expected to arrive on time for class, clinical experiences and campus labs.

• Tardiness: Arriving late for class, clinical or campus labs should occur only in unavoidable, unforeseen extreme extenuating circumstances (defined below), which are rare, and should never become a pattern. A pattern of tardiness disturbs class and reflects lack of time management, disrespect for peers and instructors as well as irresponsibility, and is not acceptable. A pattern of tardiness for clinical experiences demonstrates a lack of respect for peers, patients, and members of the healthcare team, as well as irresponsibility in meeting patient care requirements.

• Absence: Missing class time, clinical time or campus lab time should occur only in unavoidable, unforeseen extreme extenuating circumstances (defined below), which are rare, and should never become a pattern. A pattern of absences, even for valid reasons described below, prevents participation in essential learning activities necessary for success in the nursing program.

CLASSROOM ATTENDANCE Class Absences: Students will be excluded from the course and receive a “WF” for excessive absence when the hours of class absences exceed 10% of the total class hours for the course. Total class hours are calculated by multiplying the class hours per week by 15 weeks in a semester.

Example: NURS 3275 (5-9-8) meets a total of 75 class hours during the semester (5 hours per week X 15 weeks). A student may miss ONLY 7.5 hours of class during the entire semester. Students who are absent for more than 7.5 class hours in this course will receive a grade of “WF” for the course.

Exam Absences/Tardiness: Attendance for all examinations is expected & required.

• If a student anticipates or knows that he/she will be tardy or absent from an exam due to unavoidable, unforeseen extreme extenuating circumstances (defined below), the student must notify the School of Nursing office (706-507-8584) as soon as possible. Students who are absent for an examination will receive a zero (0) for that exam.

• Students who arrive late for an exam will have only the remaining time to take the exam.

Class Tardiness: Students are expected to be in their seats, have needed books and materials open, and be prepared to begin class at the time the class is scheduled to begin. A grace period will be given while class roll is being called. Anyone who arrives later for class disrupts the instructor and distracts other students. Once class has begun (which is defined as the start of class discussion), students will NOT be allowed

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to enter the classroom until the break. Tardiness will be recorded in increments of 1-hour and counted toward absent hours. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor when he/she arrives for class (at the break). Failure to do so may result in being counted absent for the entire class. CLINICAL and CAMPUS LAB ATTENDANCE Clinical and Campus Lab Absence: Attendance and participation in clinical experiences, including campus labs, is essential for gaining competence required for the safe practice of nursing. Any absence from clinical experiences or campus labs may result in clinical failure and a grade of “F” for the course.

Clinical and Campus Lab Tardiness: Students are expected to be at the clinical unit/facility or campus lab and belongings put away, ready to begin at the time the experience is scheduled to begin. This is particularly important in the clinical setting because students are responsible for the care of assigned patients. Failure to arrive on time and assume that responsibility causes undue hardship on peers and unit staff, as well as disrupting patient care. If unavoidable, unforeseen extreme extenuating circumstances occur that will make a student late, the student MUST:

• Phone the clinical unit/facility and inform them of anticipated arrival time and reason for tardiness

• Obtain the name of the person to whom the message was given and request that they pass the information on to the clinical instructor

• Contact the clinical instructor (by whatever means he/she has instructed) and inform him/her of anticipated arrival time and reason for tardiness.

Consequences for a pattern of tardiness OR for a single incidence of significant tardiness will be determined by the instructor / teaching team. Consequences may range from a documented verbal warning to clinical probation. The decision to allow a tardy student to remain for the experience will rest with the instructor, based on the situation at the time. EXCEPTIONS TO POLICY Extreme Extenuating Circumstances: Very rarely, unforeseen, uncontrollable extenuating circumstances may cause absence from, or tardiness for, class, clinical laboratories, or campus lab. Such circumstances include:

• Illness of student or immediate family member requiring his/her care. Documentation will consist of medical statement with date, letterhead, and signature of care provider.

• Death of a family member. Documentation will consist of the newspaper obituary.

• Unforeseen emergencies preventing the student from attending class or lab (e.g. house fire, vehicle collision, etc). Documentation will consist of a signed statement from the appropriate agency or office.

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Requests for Exception to Policy (Classroom or Clinical) A formal request for an exception to the attendance policy may be made by a student. Such requests must be submitted to the Course Coordinator in a timely manner in the form of a formal letter with attached, required documentation.

• Formal letter includes date, salutation, body, and signature. This is the only format accepted…no emails.

• Include in letter of request the exception you are requesting and a detailed rationale for your request.

• State if you are requesting make-up clinical time or a make-up exam. • Attach official, dated documentation of extenuating circumstances to the letter.

The course teaching team will make the decision to grant or deny the request based on a case-by-case review of individual circumstances. Patterns of past attendance, absence and tardiness will be considered in this decision. In general, do not expect the request to be granted because excessive absence from class, even for valid reasons, results in insufficient learning experiences to gain the knowledge, skills and abilities required for safe clinical practice or NCLEX-RN success. Make Up Exams: If permission to take a make-up exam is granted, the time and type of examination will be determined by the teaching team. Make up exam items may be of any type including short answer and essay. Make Up Clinical/Campus Lab: If a request to make up lab time is granted, the make up clinical experience or campus lab may be scheduled at any time the clinical facility and instructors are available (including weekends and nights) and the student will be expected to attend. The student will attend clinical with the instructor assigned with no special requests related to instructor, site, or time on the part of the student considered. JG/jg Approved May 2006; Revised & Approved April 2007

Children Attending Class: Policy

It is inappropriate for students to bring a child to any nursing class. No children of students will be allowed in classes. Other arrangements must be made for childcare. This policy will be enforced at all times.

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Clinical Supervision of Nursing Students

Purpose The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for compliance with the Georgia Nurse Practice Act and the Georgia Board of Nursing Rules and Regulations, and to protect public safety during undergraduate nursing student clinical learning experiences. Policy

1. This policy applies to all nursing students and nursing faculty members, both full and part time, and registered nurses (RN) accepting the role of preceptor for undergraduate nursing students.

2. Students may perform the following activities ONLY under the direct supervision of a

faculty instructor or RN preceptor, or another RN in the clinical teaching area who has been designated by the faculty instructor or RN preceptor (this specifically excludes supervision by any NON-registered nurse, such as LPN, Physician’s Assistant, or Physician):

a. Invasive procedures b. Administration of medication by any route (eg. PO, ID, SQ, IM, IV)

3. Students may administer medications by any route ONLY after all medication rights

have been verified by the faculty instructor or RN preceptor, or another RN in the clinical teaching area who has been designated by the faculty instructor or RN preceptor.

4. The registered nurse (faculty member, RN preceptor, or designated RN) who

supervises a nursing student in the performance of any nursing activity will co-sign all related entries into the patient record made by the student. This includes, but is not limited to,:

a. administration of medications by any route b. performance of any invasive procedure c. nurses notes of any type

5. Legal signatures in patient records

a. Faculty Member: First name, Last name, RN, CSU b. Nursing Student: First name, Last name, CSU-NS

Last reviewed July, 2011

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Confidentiality of Patient Records and Information: HIPAA Requirements

Patient records and all patient information are strictly confidential. The following rules to protect patient privacy and confidentiality must be followed at all times. 1. Students are to discuss information related to patients only with appropriate health

care personnel caring for the patient AND only during pre-conference, post-conference, and during the clinical day as it pertains to providing care.

2. Students are prohibited from discussing any information related to a patient or

his/her health at any other time or to any other persons. Students are also prohibited from photocopying any portion of a patient’s health record. This even includes verifying a patient’s presence in a health care facility of any kind. It also means never discussing patients at lunch, in the elevator, with your friends, family or anyone, OR in any place where you could be overheard. If a student violates this rule, he/she will have violated the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 2002.

3. Before discussing any information found in a patient’s record with him/her or the

family, discuss the information with your instructor and obtain approval. The patient has a right to access to his medical information, but timing and type of explanation are often crucial in providing effective care.

HIPAA

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1996. HIPAA PATIENT PROTECTIONS: Update 2007 The Privacy Rule ensures a national floor of privacy protections for patients by limiting the ways that health plans, pharmacies, hospitals and other covered entities can use patients' personal medical information. The regulations protect medical records and other individually identifiable health information, whether it is on paper, in computers or communicated orally. Key provisions of these standards include:

• Access to Medical Records. Patients generally should be able to see and obtain copies of their medical records and request corrections if they identify errors and mistakes. Health plans, doctors, hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and other covered entities generally should provide access these records within 30 days and may charge patients for the cost of copying and sending the records.

• Notice of Privacy Practices. Covered health plans, doctors and other health care providers must provide a notice to their patients how they may use personal medical information and their rights under the new privacy regulation. Doctors,

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hospitals and other direct-care providers generally will provide the notice on the patient's first visit and anytime thereafter upon request. Patients generally will be asked to sign, initial or otherwise acknowledge that they received this notice. Health plans generally must mail the notice to their enrollees upon initial enrollment and again if the notice changes significantly. Patients also may ask covered entities to restrict the use or disclosure of their information beyond the practices included in the notice, but the covered entities would not have to agree to the changes.

• Limits on Use of Personal Medical Information. The Privacy Rule sets limits on how health plans and covered providers may use individually identifiable health information. To promote the best quality care for patients, the rule does not restrict the ability of doctors, nurses and other providers to share information needed to treat their patients. In other situations, though, personal health information generally may not be used for purposes not related to health care, and covered entities may use or share only the minimum amount of protected information needed for a particular purpose. In addition, patients would have to sign a specific authorization before a covered entity could release their medical information to a life insurer, a bank, a marketing firm or another outside entity for purposes not related to their health care.

• Prohibition on Marketing. The Privacy Rule sets restrictions and limits on the use of patient information for marketing purposes. Pharmacies, health plans and other covered entities must first obtain an individual's specific authorization before disclosing their patient information for marketing. At the same time, the rule permits doctors and other covered entities to communicate freely with patients about treatment options and other health-related information, including disease-management programs.

• Stronger State Laws. The federal privacy standards do not affect state laws that provide additional privacy protections for patients. The confidentiality protections are cumulative; the Privacy Rule sets a national "floor" of privacy standards that protect all Americans, and any state law providing additional protections continues to apply. When a state law requires a certain disclosure -- such as reporting an infectious disease outbreak to the public health authorities -- the federal privacy regulations does not preempt the state law.

• Confidential Communications. Under the Privacy Rule, patients can request that their doctors, health plans and other covered entities take reasonable steps to ensure that their communications with the patient are confidential. For example, a patient could ask a doctor to call his or her office rather than home, and the doctor's office should comply with that request if it can be reasonably accommodated.

• Complaints. Consumers may file a formal complaint regarding the privacy practices of a health plan or covered provider. Such complaints can be made directly to the covered provider or health plan or to HHS' Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which is charged with investigating complaints and enforcing the privacy regulation. Information about filing complaints should be included in each

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covered entity's notice of privacy practices. Consumers can find out more information about filing a complaint at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa or by calling (866) 627-7748.

HIPAA: HEALTH PLANS AND PROVIDERS The Privacy Rule requires health plans, pharmacies, doctors and other covered entities to have policies and procedures to protect the confidentiality of protected health information about their patients. These requirements are flexible and scalable to allow different covered entities to implement them as appropriate for their businesses or practices. Covered entities must provide all the protections for patients cited above, such as providing a notice of their privacy practices and limiting the use and disclosure of information as required under the rule. In addition, covered entities must take some additional steps to protect patient privacy:

• Written Privacy Procedures. The rule requires covered entities to have written privacy procedures, including a description of staff that has access to protected information, how it will be used and when it may be disclosed. Covered entities generally must take steps to ensure that any business associates who have access to protected information agree to the same limitations on the use and disclosure of that information.

• Employee Training and Privacy Officer. Covered entities must train their employees in their privacy procedures and must designate an individual to be responsible for ensuring the procedures are followed. If covered entities learn an employee failed to follow these procedures, they must take appropriate disciplinary action.

• Public Responsibilities. In limited circumstances, the rule permits -- but does not require --covered entities to continue certain existing disclosures of health information for specific public responsibilities. These permitted disclosures include: emergency circumstances; identification of the body of a deceased person, or the cause of death; public health needs; research that involves limited data or has been independently approved by an Institutional Review Board or privacy board; oversight of the health care system; judicial and administrative proceedings; limited law enforcement activities; and activities related to national defense and security. The Privacy Rule generally establishes new safeguards and limits on these disclosures. Where no other law requires disclosures in these situations, covered entities may continue to use their professional judgment to decide whether to make such disclosures based on their own policies and ethical principles.

• Equivalent Requirements for Government. The provisions of the rule generally apply equally to private sector and public sector covered entities. For example, private hospitals and government-run hospitals covered by the rule have to comply with the full range of requirements.

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HIPAA: OUTREACH AND ENFORCEMENT HHS' Office for Civil Rights (OCR) oversees and enforces the new federal privacy regulations. Led by OCR, HHS has issued extensive guidance and technical assistance materials to make it as easy as possible for covered entities to comply with the new requirements. Key elements of OCR's outreach and enforcement efforts include:

• Guidance and technical assistance materials. HHS has issued extensive guidance and technical materials to explain the Privacy Rule, including an extensive, searchable collection of frequently asked questions that address major aspects of the rule. HHS will continue to expand and update these materials to further assist covered entities in complying. These materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa.

• Conferences and seminars. HHS has participated in hundreds of conferences, trade association meetings and conference calls to explain and clarify the provisions of the privacy regulation. These included a series of regional conferences sponsored by HHS, as well as many held by professional associations and trade groups. HHS will continue these outreach efforts to encourage compliance with the privacy requirements.

• Information line. To help covered entities find out information about the privacy regulation, OCR has a toll-free information line. The number is 1-800-368-1019.

• Complaint investigations. Enforcement is primarily complaint-driven. OCR investigates complaints and works to make sure that consumers receive the privacy rights and protections required under the regulations. When appropriate, OCR will impose civil monetary penalties for violations of the Privacy Rule provisions. Potential criminal violations of the law are referred to the U.S. Department of Justice for further investigation and appropriate action.

• Civil and Criminal Penalties. Congress provided civil and criminal penalties for covered entities that misuse personal health information. For civil violations of the standards, OCR may impose monetary penalties up to $100 per violation, up to $25,000 per year, for each requirement or prohibition violated. Criminal penalties apply for certain actions such as knowingly obtaining protected health information in violation of the law. Criminal penalties can range up to $50,000 and one year in prison for certain offenses; up to $100,000 and up to five years in prison if the offenses are committed under "false pretenses"; and up to $250,000 and up to 10 years in prison if the offenses are committed with the intent to sell, transfer or use protected health information for commercial advantage, personal gain or malicious harm.

The guidance issued today must be updated annually but HHS may update and reissue it this year, after public comment is considered and at the same time HHS’s breach notification regulation is published.

http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/04/20090417a.html

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Confidentiality of Student Records Maintained by the School of Nursing

PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to protect student privacy and right to confidentiality in accordance with institutional policy and the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). DEFINITIONS: “Record” means any information recorded in any way, including, but not limited to, handwriting, print, Computer media, video or audio tape, film, microfilm, and microfiche. “Personally identifiable information” includes, but is not limited to:

• The student’s name; • The name of the student’s parent or other family member; • The address of the student or student’s family; • A personal identifier, such as the student’s social security number or student

number; • A list of personal characteristics that would make the student’s identity easily

traceable; OR • Other information that would make the student’s identity easily traceable.

POLICY

1. Student records (including personally identifiable information) are private and confidential and will be maintained in secured (locked) areas within the nursing building offices. Students’ School of Nursing files will be maintained in the School of

Nursing office. Student Course files will be maintained in faculty offices.

2. Only faculty and full-time administrative staff of the School of Nursing will have access to student records in order to conduct the normal course of business for the department and the institution.

3. An individual student has the right of access to his/her own record. No one else (including other students, parents, spouse or any other person asking for access to student records) will be allowed access to student records (other than those persons described in the above item).

4. Exceptions: FERPA does provide for exceptions to this policy in very specific circumstances. If anyone requests access to student records citing an allowed exception, he/she will be referred to the Director, SON for verification, in consultation with the Office of the Registrar, that an exception can be made. Only the Chair, School of Nursing (or designee in his/her

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absence) will verify exceptions and allow access to student records based on an exception to FERPA.

JG/jg Confidentiality Student Records Reviewed by Office of Judicial Affairs Jan 2003 Approved: Dept of Nursing Feb 2003; Reviewed annually; last review 7/10/2011

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Drug Calculation Proficiency Examination Policy PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to protect patient safety and prevent potential medication errors by validating a minimal level of student proficiency in drug calculations and would include basic medication dosage and/or intravenous fluid calculations. Basic medication dosage and intravenous fluid calculations are taught in NURS 3175, Pharmacology in Nursing and students must maintain these skills throughout the program. All clinical courses will include a percentage of calculation items on each exam. POLICY

• In order to pass each clinical course, students must demonstrate a minimal level of proficiency in medication dosage and intravenous fluid calculations by achieving 90% or higher on 1) the Nursing Calculations Final Examination in NURS 3175 and, 2) calculation exams given in each clinical course.

• Students will be given three (3) opportunities to achieve the required score on this exam.

• Students who fail to score 90% or higher on the third attempt will receive a grade of F for the clinical portion of that course and will result in a course failure.

• Every unit exam given in clinical nursing courses must contain a percentage of calculation items.

The following criteria will be required of all clinical course calculation exams:

• Students will be given three (3) attempts • Students will be required to make 90% to pass each exam • Students will be encouraged to seek remediation from the skills lab prior to the

next attempt, which will be scheduled by the course coordinator • Exams will be computer-based • A student who fails a calculation exam three (3) times will not be eligible to

participate in the clinical experiences of the course in which the exam was required, and will receive a failure for the clinical portion of the course that will result in overall course failure.

Template for Calculation Proficiency Exams in a Clinical Course

• Twenty (20) questions will comprise each exam • Thirty percent (30% or 6 problems) of the exam will consist of problems specific

to PO meds • Forty percent (40% or 8 problems) of the exam will consist of problems specific

to SC, IM, and IVP medications. • Thirty percent (30% or 6 problems) of the exam will consist of problems specific

to IVPB medications and IV flow rates • Various types of measurements should be used when developing PO medication

problems, such as milligrams, grams, and ounces, etc… Updated by Policy Committee 12/7/2010

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Employment Policy for Students (Including requirements for students with health related licenses)

Employment Policy Upon successful completion of the first clinical nursing course, students may be hired as a nurse technician/nurse aide by some of the health care agencies. LPN-RN students may also be employed while in the nursing program. The Bachelor of Science Nursing Program at CSU disavows any and all responsibility for the actions of nursing students who are employed in these positions. This includes internships, externships, and any other job offered to students. Clearly stated job descriptions for these positions are the sole responsibility of the employing institution. The employing institution also assumes legal and ethical responsibility for the actions of these employees. In these roles students are not allowed to wear CSU uniforms, name tags, patches or any other item identifying them as CSU nursing students.

Students with Health Related Licenses: Requirement

Students with health related licenses must bring the license to the office of the SON Director for visualization (Georgia Board of Nursing requirement). A copy of the license will be made for the student’s record for future reference.

Evaluation and Grading Overview The School of Nursing overall grading policy for all nursing courses is outlined below. Students, however, are responsible for reading each nursing course syllabus for detailed information regarding grading for the course. The grading scale used by the SON is as follows:

NUMERIC GRADE LETTER GRADE COMMENT 90.00 - 100 A PASS

80.00 – 89.99 B PASS 75.00 – 79.99 C PASS 67.00 – 74.99 D FAIL

66.99 and below F FAIL

Students earn one grade for each nursing course. Nursing courses with a lab component are graded as one course, thus students receive one grade for the combined classroom/laboratory course. Nursing course grades are earned based on a point system that is outlined and explained in each course syllabus. The three major areas of student performance that are evaluated in a nursing course include:

1) Exams 2) Graded assignments

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3) Clinical laboratory performance. In order to pass a nursing course, students must demonstrate a minimal level of knowledge by achieving a passing average on all nursing exams and by passing the clinical portion of the course. Once students have met these minimal requirements, other points they have earned are added to the exam grades for a course grade. The total points/percentage must also be 75% or more in order to pass the course. The table below summarizes these requirements and their rationale.

Summary of Nursing Course Grading Requirements and Rationale EVALUATION REQUIREMENTS RATIONALE

Passing (75%) Exam Average (simple average of all unit exams and final exam)

Students must demonstrate ability to pass exams similar to the NCLEX-RN multiple-choice exam required for RN licensure, which reflect knowledge and clinical decision making ability.

Passing Clinical Performance Students must demonstrate a basic ability to transfer and apply knowledge and skill to actual clinical situations in order to protect patient safety and meet legal standards of nursing practice. They must be able to “think on their feet”.

Passing (75%) Course Grade

Exam Points + Assignment Points + Passing Clinical Performance Course Grade (75% to pass)

Passing course grade reflects at least a basic level of ability in nursing knowledge / clinical decision making (exams) and clinical practice (clinical). Assignment points allow students the opportunity to earn points in a variety of ways rather than by exams alone.

Exams Because students must demonstrate ability to pass exams similar to the NCLEX-RN multiple-choice exam required for RN licensure, they must at least achieve a passing (75%) average on exams (simple average of all unit exams and final exam) alone in order to pass a nursing course. In any nursing course, the teaching team may require students to pass the final comprehensive exam with a minimum specified grade in order to pass the course. If so, this will be specified in the course syllabus. Once a student has met exam passing requirements, other assignment points are added. Exams consist primarily of items written at the application or higher cognitive level, which requires “multilogical thinking” in order to assess critical thinking, nursing judgment and clinical decision making skills (Morrison et al, 1996). It is not enough to “recall” or “know” facts…you must recall facts and use them to make decisions in a given situation.

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COMPUTERIZED EXAM RATIONALE REVIEW POLICY

Purpose The purposes of exam reviews are to clarify student misunderstandings related to exam items and provide feedback to faculty about exam items in order to help improve future exam items. Policy Online Rationale Review All nursing course exams are administered online (unless technical difficulties require paper and pencil exam). After online exam completion, you will be able to access your score as well as correct answers and rationales for items you missed. Review of rationales is an important part of the learning process. Be sure to take advantage of this activity. A. Students scoring less than 85% are strongly encouraged to review their missed

exam items and rationales. Meeting with your faculty mentor to seek additional help is also encouraged.

B. The teaching team will meet and review each exam and its statistics within one week of the exam, unless extenuating circumstances prevail. On rare occasion, credit may be given for more than one answer or an item might be discarded, but only if the item statistics reflect the need and/or the faculty team arrive at a team decision to do so.

C. Grades become final once they have been posted for 3 business days. If a student thinks an error was made in grading, he/she must contact the Course Coordinator within those 3 business days. No changes will be made after that time.

Graded Assignments and Projects A variety of graded assignments and projects are included in nursing courses in order to foster self-directed learning, to evaluate student learning from multiple perspectives, and to encourage creativity and critical thinking. Such assignments increase in number and complexity as student’s progress through the program, and may include:

1. Written case studies, cognitive/concept maps, reports, research papers, clinical pathways, reflective journals, research critiques and other similar assignments.

2. Oral presentations, teaching projects, poster presentations and other similar assignments.

3. Group projects such as community health fair and research critique / presentation and other similar assignments.

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Clinical Lab Evaluation

Students are clinically evaluated according to established clinical objectives, which flow from level objectives and are specified in course-specific clinical evaluation tools. Students earn a clinical evaluation rating of satisfactory or unsatisfactory.

FORMATIVE CLINICAL EVALUATION occurs during nursing courses with feedback to students, which can be part of the day-to-day student-instructor interaction or a formal conference. During the formative evaluation process, students are given reasonable opportunities to correct weaknesses and deficiencies. As the course progresses, students are expected to consistently improve clinical performance. During formative evaluation, students may earn an “S” (satisfactory), “NI” (needs improvement), “U” (unsatisfactory), or “NA” (not available). Students are given feedback about their strengths, weaknesses, and suggestions for improvement.

Students who are deemed, at any point in the course, to be practicing in an unsafe manner or who are weak in clinical performance may be placed on clinical probation. This is formal notification to students that they are at risk of a clinical failure if performance is not improved significantly. A student placed on clinical probation will receive a letter informing that student of the probation. The student will be informed of any weaknesses and related requirements for improvement. Students will be officially notified (in writing) when their performance improves to the point of meeting clinical objectives and/or safe practice. Students who are practicing in an UNSAFE or UNPROFESSIONAL manner may be immediately sent from the clinical site with a grade of “F” for the course.

SUMMATIVE CLINICAL EVALUATION is completed at the conclusion of the course. Any “U” rating or any “NI” rating not improved to an “S” by the end of the course results in an “U” for that objective and a clinical failure, thus course failure. If a student fails the clinical component of any nursing course, the entire course must be repeated upon its next offering (on a space-available basis) in order to remain in the program (as long as the student is eligible to return to the program).

A grade of “satisfactory” is earned by students who demonstrate safe nursing practice and consistently perform care related to clinical objectives safely, competently, and with decreasing guidance over time, while applying concepts and skills from previous learning experiences and courses. Safe practice is defined as that practice which will keep the patient, staff, instructor, and student free from threat, danger, harm or loss.

A grade of “unsatisfactory” is earned by students who demonstrate unsafe nursing practice and/or who fail to consistently perform care related to clinical objectives safely, competently, with decreasing guidance over time, or who are inconsistent in clinical performance and/or the application of concepts and skills from previous learning

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experiences and courses. Unsafe practice is defined as those actions or inactions which put the patient, staff, instructor or student in jeopardy either physically, mentally or legally.

To earn a “satisfactory” grade, the student must also be evaluated as safe in each of the following areas (which are universal standards of practice and are defined in the Skills Validation Policy): physical safety, emotional safety, infection control, appropriate decision making, and accountability. A fail grade will be earned if the student is evaluated unsafe in any area. The same “safe entry/safe exit” behaviors deemed essential to safe skill performance are also a necessary and integral part of safe clinical practice.

Grievance Procedure These initial steps should be used to resolve issues in the nursing program:

a. If a student wishes to discuss an issue or concern with an instructor, the student should make an appointment so that sufficient time can be scheduled for a discussion. It is the responsibility of the student to schedule and keep this appointment

b. If after meeting and discussing the issue the instructor and student cannot reach a resolution, the course coordinator and the level coordinator should then be consulted. It is the responsibility of the student to schedule and keep this appointment

c. If the course coordinator and level coordinator cannot reach a resolution of the issue, the Director of the School of Nursing should be consulted. It is the responsibility of the student to schedule and keep this appointment.

d. If the issue is not resolved, the student will meet with the Director of the School of Nursing.

e. Appeal of School of Nursing Director decisions will follow CSU policy and procedure (see CSU Handbook).

It is important that the sequence listed above be followed so that all individuals involved are fully aware of a student’s concerns. During this process, every effort should be made to resolve the issue at the lowest level. Columbus State University’s official procedure for the resolution of grievances, accepted by both faculty and students, is outlined in the CSU Student Handbook. Keep in mind that simply disagreeing with a test grade, clinical evaluation, or established policy is not grounds for a grievance. Last Updated 7/14/2011

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Group-Work Guidelines and Policy Purpose The purpose of this policy is to promote harmonious and productive group work among students. Policy All students are expected to follow these guidelines when participating in group work, both for professional nursing organizations and academic assignments. Expected Behaviors and Attitudes of students: 1. Be fair and equitable in the assignment and distribution of tasks and workload to

accomplish the group project. 2. Plan meeting times that will accommodate either all members schedules OR the

majority on a rotating basis. 3. Organize workload so that multiple after hour meetings are not necessary…use e-

mail, telephones, lunch times, etc. Avoid changing agreed upon meetings times and places, but if a meeting time must be changed, inform all group members in a timely manner.

4. Participate actively and productively in the group process and dynamics to be a positive force in accomplishing group work.

5. Attend all meetings on time and be prepared with your completed task or assignment toward the group project.

6. Submit work as requested by the group and/or by the agreed upon or assigned deadline.

7. Maintain a professional attitude in both verbal and written communication as well as interpersonal behavior with each other.

8. All group members should review the total completed assignment before submission to assigned faculty.

9. A listing of each group member’s contribution(s) should be attached to the assignment.

10. Maintain a professional and respectful tone in all e-mail communications Conflict Resolution In the event a team member defaults on his/her responsibility to the group, or other conflicts arise, the members should respond in accordance with these guidelines. Step 1

• As soon as it is recognized that a group member is not meeting their obligations, immediately inform the defaulting individual about his/her failure to comply with group work requirements.

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• If you are the person who is approached by the group for failure to meet responsibilities, listen to them and discuss options for immediately resolving the issue and meeting your obligations.

• Other issues or problems should be brought to the group’s attention as soon as they are recognized by any group member.

Step 2

• If the defaulting individual does not respond to step 1 above, the group should plan a meeting with the assigned faculty member to discuss the problem as soon as possible. The same applies for other issues or problems that the group is unable to resolve.

• The assigned faculty member will mediate options, but the final course of action will be the collective consensus of the group. Options can range from a reduction in points earned by the defaulting individual to expulsion for the group with no points earned by the individual for the group assignment

• Assigned faculty members can serve as a resource and are available to meet with groups to discuss ongoing goals, progress, and problems. This often prevents small problems from becoming big ones.

• DO NOT WAIT UNTIL A SITUATION IS OUT OF HAND OR DIASTROUS BEFORE IMPLEMENTING THIS CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROCEDURE AND CONTACTING YOUR FACULTY MEMBER.

Peer Evaluations At the conclusion of all group projects, group members will anonymously complete a peer evaluation for each member. Forms and guidelines will be provided by the course coordinator. These peer evaluations will be considered in assigning grades for the group work.

Student Group Work Policy Approved April 2003, Reviewed 7/10/2011

Professional Behavior

As a student member of the nursing profession, nursing students are expected to exhibit professional appearance and behavior at all times during school related activities. This policy is based upon the fundamental principle of behavior that reflects courtesy and respect for others. Students should act respectful and be honest. Most college students need no instructions in how to act. The following behaviors are not respectful and usually arise because a person is being dishonest. • Bullying, whining, complaining, hiding, cheating, and insulting are each outrageous behavior which will not tolerated. Being hostile, over-protective, over-sensitive, and silly are inappropriate. Acting helpless, confused, clueless, and refusing to take responsibility does not excuse you from meeting your responsibilities.

• You are expected to be ready when class starts. If the professor is late, or otherwise distracted with his responsibilities, you are encouraged to engage in small talk or other civil behavior. Once he signals the class that he is beginning, please be ready with pen and notebook, homework, etc. If a break is given during class, please be back in your desk and ready to begin within the allowed time (usually 10 minutes). If you need to excuse yourself during class (coughing, toilet, etc.), please do so with minimum disruption, but you will not be allowed to return to class. No apology or explanation will be expected.

• You should expect faculty to dismiss the class in a timely fashion. It is brash to begin packing your things up before the class end while faculty or guests still talking. In general, it is a good habit to take notes of whatever happens in the class, especially when the professor is talking.

Class attendance: There is strong evidence that attending class is essential for success for the overwhelming majority of students. Students need to be on time at the beginning of class and should stay for the entire class. Tardiness: Once the professor has closed the door, you will not be permitted to enter (or re-enter) the classroom and you will be counted absent. No leaving the classroom once it has begun. If you leave early, before the faculty dismisses class, you will not be permitted to re-enter and you will be counted absent. Class Conduct: Students and faculty share the responsibility for maintaining an appropriate, orderly, learning environment. Students who fail to adhere to the behavioral expectations stated by the faculty may be subject to discipline in accordance with the procedures described in the Student Handbook. Only the use of approved electronic equipment (laptops, audio recorders) will be permitted at the faculty member’s discretion. Cell phone use is not permitted during class time. If a phone call is deemed an emergency, the student must leave the classroom and will not be able to

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return until the next class break. Communicating with classmates, whether by picture, writing, or speech during class is inappropriate. Since no list will cover every disruptive behavior, students should follow additional instructions about classroom behavior. In general, students should be prepared to begin class when the faculty arrives and begins class. Students should act attentive to the faculty member and to any student recognized to speak in class. Students should remain attentive to the class until dismissed. In return the faculty should be prompt and prepared and should conduct an orderly class. The faculty should provide reasonable opportunity for students to ask questions and make comments. The faculty should dismiss the class on time or earlier if the class plan has been completed. Faculty reserve the right to ask a student to take a time-out or to exclude a student from lectures, class exercises, or other student activities, if the student is or has been guilty of disruptive, behavior or of insensitive, rude, or bigoted statements. A sanction of exclusion will never be imposed without a warning (if delay is reasonable, such a warning will be given privately). This does not mean you can be censored or censured for holding different opinions. In its time and place, disagreeing with the faculty or fellow students about social, religious, political, or other cultural issues is protected speech in this class. Disruptive behavior is subject to the normal rules governing CSU's Students' Rights and Responsibilities. Many rules of conduct are subjective and even circumstantial. The faculty has a responsibility to use their judgment in making rulings as they seek to preserve the decorum of the classroom. The faculty will make a reasonable attempt to advise you of problems so that you will not violate expectations that they have for all students. BART (Behavioral Assessment and Recommendation Team) Identifying, Assessing, and Reducing Threats in Order to Foster a Safe Campus Environment Why are Behavioral Assessment and Recommendation Necessary? In the post Virginia Tech shooting era, colleges and universities around the country are becoming more diligent and proactive in providing a safe environment for students, faculty, staff, and visitors to their campuses. State and federal legislation is being enacted and amended to allow local authorities and university employees the ability to communicate vital information concerning possible threats. Changes in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) will give administrators “appropriate flexibility and deference” with regard to the disclosure of educational records and information (Federal Register, 2008). Columbus State University understands the climate that exists on college campuses. Additionally, each public institution in Georgia has been directed by the Chancellor’s office to develop a plan and select a committee to address potential threats of this nature. In response, Columbus State University has established the Behavioral Assessment and Recommendation Team (BART) to serve as an additional measure for

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campus safety. That having been stated, it must be understood that even with the best intentions, situations may arise that are unforeseen by any member of the university community. BART will operate in some instances with very limited information while exercising due diligence to protect the university, community and the individual. You may review this information via the CSU website by visiting the website below: Behavioral Assessment and Recommendation Team (BART) Or by visiting: http://sa.columbusstate.edu/bart.php BART Mission Statement The Behavioral Assessment and Recommendation Team (BART) is dedicated to a proactive, coordinated and planned approach to the identification, prevention, assessment, management, and reduction of interpersonal and behavioral threats to the safety and wellbeing of Columbus State University students, faculty, staff, and visitors. BART Goals

• Provide a safe physical environment for members of the university community • Provide a safe emotional environment for the university community • Promote peace of mind for friends and family of the university community

Report to BART Behaviors Such As:

• Violent fantasy content • Anger problems • Fascination with weapons and accoutrements • Homicidal ideation • Stalking • Non-compliance or disciplinary matters • Interest in previous shooting situations • Victim/martyr self-concept • Strangeness and aberrant behavior • Paranoia • Violence and cruelty • Acting out • Recent police contact • Mental health history related to dangerousness • Unusual interest in police, military, terrorist activities and materials

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PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR POLICY Purpose: To support a positive environment conducive to quality patient care and student learning, all students are expected to comply with the following behavior requirements:

1. Active attention and participation in class, clinical and other learning activities 2. Speak one at a time in class or group meetings so that all can hear. 3. Voice your opinions and ideas in a calm, courteous manner and maintain 4. When you disagree with others, do so in a firm, but tactful and courteous

manner 5. No side conversations or remarks during class or any group learning activity

requiring your attention. 6. Arrive for class, clinical and other scheduled learning activities at least 5 minutes

early and be prepared to begin on time. 7. Arrive back to class, clinical unit or learning activity on time from breaks. 8. There will be no entry into class after lecture begins. 9. All electronic devices, such as cell phones and other sound producing devices

must be silenced during class or clinical activities. These devices include, but are not limited to: iPods, iPads, cellular phones of any type, electronic reading devices, and any other sound producing devices. The type of device prohibited may be left to the discretion of the nursing faculty.

10. Do not conduct phone conversations, texting or other electronic communication during class, clinical or other learning activities…it is disruptive to your learning and to that of others.

11. Laptop computers may be used for classroom activities, however, these devices are to be used as a learning resource during class and should not be disruptive to your learning or to that of others. Utilizing social networking websites during class time is prohibited, as this may be distracting and impede student learning.

12. Demonstrate respect for patients, families and faculty by addressing them by title and last name (Dr., Mr., Ms., etc). Exceptions may be made for pediatric patients and adult patients who prefer to be called by a given name.

13. Maintain a professional attitude by demonstrating respect and courtesy with patients, families, and all members of the health care team. If issues arise that you are unable to resolve calmly alone, seek the assistance of the nursing faculty.

14. To protect patient safety and maximize your educational experience, you must arrive for clinical experiences prepared. The preparation required varies with course, agency and clinical experience.

15. Demonstrate initiative and eagerness to maximize your own learning experience by actively seeking out learning experiences during all clinical experiences.

16. Demonstrate a desire to resolve problems according to the chain of command when attempting to resolve differences (See Grievance Procedure).

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PROFESSIONAL ATTIRE and APPEARANCE Purpose: To project a positive image, respect and trust, students are expected to comply with the following attire and appearance requirements, which are based on clinical agency dress codes for nursing personnel.

1. Maintain a professional appearance when functioning as a student in the CSU BSN program. This includes attending class, visiting any clinical agency for any purpose (e.g. observational assignments, clinical assignments, teaching project).

2. The CSU nursing student uniform consists of a “galaxy blue” top and pants. The Landau scrub has been selected and several options of the uniform style are available at Famous Brand Uniforms, Columbus, GA. If you select a dress or skirt, the hem should be at least mid-knee. Jumpsuits are not permitted. Students may wear a white t-shirt under their scrub top.

3. Efforts should be taken to prevent undergarments from showing when bending over due to low rise scrub pants and/or shorter scrub tops.

4. A school patch must be sewn onto each uniform and lab coat (ordered and sewn on through Famous Brands Uniforms). ROTC students may also sew the ROTC patch onto their uniform.

5. A name tag with individual photo and CSU logo must be worn on all uniforms at all times when at the clinical facilities (Name tag obtained through CSU).

6. Professional white shoes with white socks or hosiery. Shoes should be purchased for comfort rather than style and must have closed toe. Clogs are not acceptable.

7. Tattoos must be covered. 8. Each student is expected to maintain neat and clean personal grooming as

related to hair, beards, and mustaches. Hairstyles or cuts such as spikes and Mohawks and similar extremes are not acceptable. Long hair must be pulled up or confined. No bows, hair ribbons, turbans, etc. should be worn during clinical experiences. Hair colors of a natural tone are acceptable, while unnatural colors (greens, bright reds, pinks, etc.) are not acceptable.

9. Fingernails should be trimmed short and kept clean. Length of nails should not protrude above the top of the fingertip when viewed from the palm side of the hand. Fingernail polish must not be chipped and no artificial fingernails are allowed for infection control reasons.

10. Makeup, if worn, must be used in moderation. No strong perfume or after shave colognes should be used, as they may make patients nauseated.

11. Jewelry – One or two small stud earrings per ear. No dangling earrings will be allowed. No facial piercing. Ex: nose, tongue, lip(s) and/or eyebrow(s). A wedding ring or band or one simple ring may be worn. No bracelets are allowed. One necklace is acceptable but may not be worn on the outside of the uniform. Jewelry may not display symbols, emblems, or other designs which represent sexist, racist, drug, alcohol, or organizations which may be offensive to others.

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12. Watch – students must possess a watch with a second hand. Preferably the watch should be waterproof, have a date indicator, and have all twelve Arabic numerals printed on the dial.

13. Stethoscope – Any color is acceptable. Students should put some type of identification on the stethoscope.

14. Bandage scissors – Scissors should be taken to each clinical experience. Some way to identify the scissors should be made.

15. Penlight – May buy disposable or reusable penlight. 16. Black ink pen and small note pad.

Students will wear either the blue uniform and name tag or a lab coat and name tag over street clothes (as instructed by faculty) whenever entering a facility in the role of nursing students. Apparel that is not acceptable in a health care environment includes blue jeans, t-shirts, shorts, short skirts, athletic, camouflage, capri-length pants, tank tops, crop tops, low cut blouses, baseball caps, jelly shoes, beach type shoes, and/or high heels. Apparel that is “see through”, low cut, too short, “skin tight”, or excessively baggy, is torn, patched, or discolored in an irregular manner, exhibits slogans, advertising, etc… is also not acceptable.

A student may be asked to modify their appearance or leave the clinical area if any of the above policies are not adhered to. Following instructions is a part of the students’ clinical evaluation.

Famous Brand Uniforms does offer nursing students discounts and is located at: 3843 Hamilton Road Columbus, GA 31904 (706) 323-2503 FAX (706) 660 8960

Approved: Dept of Nursing Dec 2002 Updated & Approved: July 2011

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Web-Sites and Online Resources Policy (Including copyright and fair use)

Purpose The purpose of this policy is to outline basic guidelines and expectations of students for use of BSN program course web-sites and online learning resources. Background CSU nursing students are expected to use course web-sites and online learning resources to support and enhance the educational program and their learning experiences. Health care agencies are rapidly moving toward a “paperless” record keeping system which requires knowledge, skill and ability in the use of computer technology. Thus, computer literacy (the ability to communicate and to access and input information using computer technology) is a learning outcome related to the program outcome “communication”. Policy Course Web-Sites The CSU BSN program uses CougarView VISTA as the course management system for nursing course web-sites. Each nursing course has a web-site. The following guidelines outline expectations for all nursing students related to use of course web-sites.

1. Computer Access – There are numerous computer labs across campus for student use. In addition, there is a computer lab in Illges 201 for nursing student use. These computers are connected to the local CSU server and to the internet. There is also a laser printer connected to all of the computers. Students must bring their own paper. Of course, many students prefer to access course web-sites and online resources from the convenience of home or work. Be aware that if you have a computer more than 2 or 3 years old OR your internet service provider uses a phone line rather than a cable modem, you may have difficulty accessing some of the online course materials. In this case, using the computer lab may be more efficient for you.

2. Enrolling in Course Websites – Students are automatically enrolled in the

course website after registering for the course itself. If you have problems accessing a course website or discover that your name is not on the website roster, notify you instructor immediately. More than likely you will already have a USER ID and PASSWORD for CougarView. If not, contact your instructor immediately. Be sure to write down your USER ID and your PASSWORD so you will not forget them…you must use them every time you log into a course web-site.

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3. Course Website E-mail a. Students are to use only the CSU CougarView email system for coursework

communication. b. Every student is responsible for reading and complying with all

communications through CSU CougarNet e-mail and for knowledge of materials and information posted on the course web-sites. Students are expected to check their email and announcements daily.

c. Faculty will respond to your emails in a timely manner during the school

week, generally within 48 hours. If you have a question that requires more than a brief answer, your email should request an appointment to talk with the instructor. Instructors cannot “re-teach” material via email but are happy to meet with you to help you with difficult material. Do not expect instant answers or lengthy answers or answers over week-ends or holidays. Individual instructors will provide further guidelines regarding email.

4. Posted Materials – Each student is responsible for accessing and using all

information and materials posted on the course websites. Student responsibilities include:

a. Log in to your course websites daily during the week to check for

new announcements and information. Don’t wait until the last minute or you may encounter technical problems that prevent you from obtaining needed materials and information in a timely manner…this is poor planning and will not excuse being unprepared.

b. Check your email daily during the week for new messages and

information related to course requirements and learning experiences. If you wait until the last minute and encounter technical problems that prevent you from obtaining needed materials and information in a timely manner, it will not excuse being unprepared.

c. STUDENTS ARE TO USE THE CSU CougarNet EMAIL ACCOUNT FOR

OFFICIAL SCHOOL EMAIL UNRELATED TO A PARTICULAR COURSE. IF you have CougarNet messages forwarded to a home email account, you must verify that your home e-mail account is functional periodically by sending yourself an email message from each course website and make sure it comes through to you. You are responsible for maintaining your email account in a manner that allows information to be sent to you.

d. Log into course websites at least THE DAY PRIOR TO CLASS DAY and

print any handouts or other materials required for use in class. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL A FEW MINUTES BEFORE CLASS…BEING LATE DUE TO

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PRINTING HANDOUTS WILL NOT BE EXCUSED. Many instructors post handouts and other materials related to course units and classes, which may be helpful to print and bring to class to facilitate note-taking. These handouts will NOT be distributed in class. At other times, handouts will be posted after class because the teaching strategies used work best without handouts printed.

5. Nettiquete – “Netiquette” is a term coined to mean “internet etiquette”. Students

are expected to become familiar with principles of netiquette and abide by them. A few major examples are listed below:

a. Don’t send anything in an email that you would not want posted on a

bulletin board. Although you may send an email to one person, absolute confidentiality cannot be guaranteed.

b. Don’t type in ALL CAPS when posting to a discussion board or sending

email…it indicates you are YELLING.

c. Don’t “flame” anyone…that is, don’t send rude, sarcastic, profane, degrading, or otherwise offensive messages via email.

For more netiquette guidelines, visit: http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html http://www.learnthenet.com/english/html/09netiqt.htm http://www.learnthenet.com/english/html/65mailet.htm 6. Copyright and Fair Use – These terms are often misunderstood.

Copyright gives authors, artists and others the right to exclude others from using their works”

Fair Use permits the use of others’ works even without approval in accordance with some very specific guidelines and limitations.

For information about internet copyright and fair use laws/rules, visit: http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html

7. Online Grade Access – Grades will be posted on each course website in the online

grade book. Each student has access to only his/her own grades because each student has selected his/her own private password. Do not share passwords or someone else will have access to our private information and grades.

Students often come into the nursing course sequence expecting exam items that merely require recall of memorized information. Nursing tests, however, are not based on only recall of knowledge. Nursing exam items are modeled after the type of items

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included on the NCLEX-RN licensing exam and require students to use knowledge to critically think in the context of a nursing situation and make appropriate decisions, selecting the best answer(s) in a given situation.

7. Evolve Resources Students in the School of Nursing will have access to many electronic resources through Evolve including case studies, practice tests, a video series on nursing skills, textbook resources, and online courses that are companions to textbooks. There is also an online system through Evolve that will be used in conjunction with simulation, clinical, and classroom experiences that will give access to an electronic medical record and documentation. To begin, you will log into https://evolve.elsevier.com/ and register as a student. You will then be given individual course IDs through the faculty that gives you access to the case studies, videos, and online courses. You can also register for student resources with your textbooks from Evolve that will help with supplementing your studies. Once you have created an account, you can search for individual textbooks and register for these resources. Access for most resources will continue until graduation- the case studies, practice tests and video skills build from fundamental to complex and will be available for continued review throughout your time in nursing school. Many of the resources are used as assignments by faculty in individual courses as well. You will receive training on use of all required resources through faculty and a representative from Elsevier. All graduates should plan to review and then sit for the NCLEX-RN as soon as possible following graduation to increase their chances of success.

Media (Videos) Online The CSU nursing program has added a number of online learning resources available for student use. They are available on the web from any computer with internet access (marked WEB). A few resources may only be available through the on-campus network, which means they are only accessible only from an on campus computer (marked LOCAL). The resources are listed below. Instructions for use will be provided in class. Remember, these resources (especially those with video) may not work well with computers more than 2-3 years old or with a phone line connection to the internet. 1. Bates Health Assessment Video Series (WEB) The entire set of Bates Health Assessment videos is available online to students enrolled in the nursing program. These are copyrighted materials and require a specific password (provided to you in class) for access. 2. Evolve Apply Case Studies (WEB)

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These online case studies provide an introduction to a real-world, patient situation — with critical-thinking questions. These questions cover nursing care for patients with a wide range of physiological and psychosocial alterations, as well as related management, pharmacology, and nursing concepts. You can measure how well you apply what you have learned! Because Evolve Apply provides critical thinking test items written at the application level, you actually practice with questions that simulate the NCLEX-RN® examination. Students MUST enroll at first opportunity in order to access this resource during the year.

3. Videos Online (WEB)

These video series are available on a web-based password-secured site. This list is likely not complete because new resources are frequently added.

Ethical Issues Video 1: Introduction: Concepts, Values, and Decision Making 22:48 | MPG Video 2: Respect: Dignity, Autonomy, and Relationships 18:04 | MPG Video 3: Commitment: Patients, Professionalism, and Boundaries 12:02 | MPG Video 4: Protection: Privacy, Safety, and Standards 21:16 | MPG Neuro Assessment Video 1: Mental Status and Cranial Nerve Evaluations 22:52 | MPG Video 2: Reflex and Motor Evaluations 18:07 | MPG Video 3: Cerebellar Function and Sensory Evaluations 13:49 | MPG Video 4: Diminished Level of Consciousness 16:15 | MPG Schizophrenia Video 1: Understanding the Disorder 25:16 | MPG Video 2: Effects on Daily Life 28:06 | MPG Video 3: The Community Response 28:02 | MPG

Teamwork Video 1: Building Effective Teams 20:45 | MPG Video 2: Problem Solving and Conflict Resolution 22:42 | MPG Video 3: Leadership 19:10 | MPG Dementia Video 1: Enhancing Quality of Life 21:33 | MPG Video 2: Communicating Effectively 18:24 | MPG Video 3: Meeting the Special Challenges 21:58 | MPG Video 4: Dementia and Resident Rights: Freedom of Sexual Expression 17:02 | MPG

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Acids and Bases Video 1: Ups and Downs of pH 15:47 | QuickTime Video 2: Respiratory alkalosis and Acidosis 22:01 | QuickTime Video 3: Metabolic Alkalosis and Acidosis 26:42 | QuickTime Cognitive Video 1: Hearing Impairment 19:38 | MPG Video 2: Visual Impairment 18:40 | MPG Video 3: Cognitive Impairment 21:35 | MPG See Me Video1: See Me 9:52 | MPG Wound Management Video 1: Wound Healing Video 2: Wound Evaluation Video 3: Arterial Wounds Video 4: Venous Wounds Video 5: Neuropathic Wounds Video 6: Pressure Ulcers Video 7: Atypical Wounds Video 8: Debridement Video 9: Dressings Video 10: Physical Modalities

Physical Assessment of a Child Video 1 21:16 | WMV | QuickTime Video 2 17:06 | WMV | QuickTime

Elderly Issue Video 1: Elderly Abuse 26:52 | QuickTime | WMV Video 2: Nutritional Risks and Challenges 23:18 | QuickTime | WMV Video 3: Preventing Falls 26:34 | QuickTime | WMV

Chronic Respiratory Disorders Video 1: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Flash Video 2: Cystic Fibrosis Flash

Specimen Collection and Screening Video 1: Specimen Collection 27:43 | QuickTime Video 2: Point of Care Testing 15:42 | QuickTime Video 3: Sterile Dressing Change 15:11 | QuickTime

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Respiratory Suctioning Video 1: Introduction to the Upper Airway 15:05 | QuickTime Video 2: Lower Airway 23:07 | QuickTime

Respiratory Disorders Video 1: Allergies and Anaphylaxis Flash Video 2: Asthma Flash Video 3: Lung Cancer Flash

3-Lead EKG by sections Video 1: Introduction Video 2: Sinus and Atrial Dysrhythmias Video 3: Heart Block Video 4: Ventricular Dysrhythmias

3-Lead EKG (Full length) Video 1: Introduction 22:55 | QuickTime | WMV Video 2: Sinus and Atrial Dysrhythmias 20:16 | QuickTime | WMV Video 3: Heart Block 12:11 | QuickTime | WMV Video 4: Ventricular Dysrhythmias 13:37 | QuickTime | WMV

Cardiac Disorders Video 1: Coronary Artery Disease - Part One Flash Video 2: Coronary Artery Disease - Part Two Flash

Avoiding Malpractice Video 1: Introduction 16:36 | WMV Video 2: Case of the Green Drainage 22:21 | WMV Video 3: Case of the Pelvic Fracture 18:43 | WMV Video 4: Case of the Elderly Fall 18:44 | WMV

Cardiac Disorders: Heart Failure Video 1: Heart Failure - Part One Flash Video 2: Heart Failure - Part Two Flash

Caring for the Cancer Patient Video 1: Basic Genetics for the Oncology Nurse - Part 115:00 | QuickTime | WMV Video 2: Basic Genetics for the Oncology Nurse - Part 2 20:56 | QuickTime | WMV

Caring for the Cancer Patient: Leukemia Video 1: Diagnosis 10:13 | QuickTime | WMV Video 2: Treatment Options and Laboratory Data 18:45 | QuickTime | WMV

Caring for the Cancer Patient: Breast Cancer Video 1: Managing Side Effects of Specific Treatments 13:30 | QuickTime | WMV

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Video 2: Promoting Psychological Health 13:47 | QuickTime | WMV Video 3: Treatment Modalities & Informational Needs 11:47 | QuickTime | WMV

Lung Cancer Video 1: Overview 16:12 | QuickTime | WMV Video 2: Psychosocial Challenges 14:36 | QuickTime | WMV

Managing Physical Assessments and Supportive Cancer Care Video 1: Part 1 18:15 | QuickTime | WMV Video 2: Part 2 18:17 | QuickTime | WMV

Goyne Lectures Video 1: Evidence Based Practice pt 1 43:00 | QuickTime | WMV Video 2: Evidence Based Practice pt 2 1:52:15 | QuickTime | WMV

Caring for the Patient: Psychiatric Disorders Video 1: Psychotropic Medications 27:25 | QuickTime | WMV Video 2: Schizophrenia 21:60 QuickTime | WMV Video 3: Bipolar Disorder 14:17 QuickTime | WMV Video 4: Depression 21:34 QuickTime | WMV Video 5: Anxiety 16:49 QuickTime | WMV

Patho 3279 Video 1 51:02 | QuickTime | WMV Video 2 47:38 | QuickTime | WMV

Others will be added as they are acquired.

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STUDENT

INFORMATION and SERVICES

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Class Officers and Faculty Advisors: Roles, Responsibilities, and Officer Elections

CLASS FACULTY ADVISORS The Director, SON will assign a full time nursing faculty member as advisor to the junior class at the beginning of the fall term. This assigned advisor will remain with that class until they graduate two years later. Nursing Faculty members will be assigned class advisor responsibilities on a rotational basis so that each faculty member takes a turn serving as class advisor.

Class faculty advisor responsibilities: 1. Provide guidance & direction for class officers and the class as a whole as they

participate in activities as a class. 2. Supervise the earning, holding, and disbursement of funds, ensuring the class

complies with institutional and state guidelines. 3. Serve as liaison with the Director, SON and the nursing faculty as a whole regarding

issues the class wishes to address with either. ELECTIONS Class officers will include:

• President (elected) • 1st Vice President (elected) • 2nd Vice President (elected) • Secretary (elected) • Treasurer (elected) • Nursing Faculty Committee Representative (appointed by faculty)

Each nursing class (junior and senior) will elect officers at the beginning of the each fall term. The Nursing Faculty Committee Representative will be appointed by faculty and is necessary to build shared governance in the undergraduate programs. Class elections will be supervised by the class faculty advisor and conducted according to the following guidelines.

1. Each office will be elected separately, beginning with president & progressing in the sequence listed above, by secret written ballot.

2. Nominations will be made from the floor until someone moves the nominations be closed.

3. Any person nominated who declines will so indicate at the time they are nominated, and his/her name will not be added to the list of candidates.

4. Nominees will be given a few minutes to introduce themselves and give any comments they wish.

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5. Nominees will leave the room during voting and will retain their right to submit a secret written ballot.

6. Votes will be cast by secret written ballot and counted by the faculty advisor. Students not running for the given office may assist the advisor in vote counting.

7. The candidate receiving the majority of the votes will be elected. In the event of a tie, a run-off vote will be conducted in the same manner as the initial vote.

8. A student who was nominated for an office but not elected is eligible to be nominated and run for subsequent offices.

CLASS RESPONSIBILITIES 1. The JUNIOR NURSING CLASS is responsible for:

a. Sponsoring the Nursing Honors Ceremony held each spring b. Raising funds to support the Nursing Honors Ceremony

2. The SENIOR NURSING CLASS is responsible for:

a. Sponsoring Family Night for the junior class during the fall semester. b. Raising funds to support Family Night activities

CLASS OFFICER RESPONSIBILITIES President The President of the class will be responsible for: 1. Presiding at class meetings 2. Coordinating activities of class officers, committee chairs, and committees. 1st Vice President The 1st Vice President of the class will be responsible for: 1. Presiding at class meetings during any absence of the President 2. Work with President on any issues and help organize/run meeting 2nd Vice President The 2nd Vice President of the class will be responsible for: 1. Coordinating development of community activities 2. Coordinating public relations Secretary The secretary of the class will be responsible for: 1. Recording, printing, and distributing minutes of each class meeting to

a. Faculty Class Advisor b. Director, SON c. “Minutes” book for the class

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2. Written correspondence required for class activities (sub-committees may handle their own correspondence for special projects, but should provide a copy to the secretary for the records) and maintaining records of such correspondence.

3. Summary of fund-raising activities 4. Maintain log of student volunteer hours and review with faculty advisor monthly or

more frequently when asked. Submit completed roster to faculty advisor at end of each semester.

Treasurer The class treasurer will be responsible for: 1. Maintaining a register of class fund receipts and disbursements and provide a

monthly written treasurer’s report to the class (with copy for minutes & copy for class advisor).

2. Depositing receipts and writing requisitions for disbursements in accordance with CSU Business Office requirements.

*School of Nursing (SON) Representative The SON Representative, as a representative of the student perspective, will be responsible for: 1. Attending scheduled nursing faculty meetings. 2. Obtaining nursing student body input/opinion when requested by the faculty

committee. 3. Providing input from the student perspective regarding items discussed at faculty

meetings. NOTE: This is not the place to discuss individual student issues or other concerns that

should be handled at the course level.

JG/jg Class Officers Advisors 02 Approved 10/04/02; Reviewed 7/14/2011

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Community and Professional Service Recognition Program

Background and Purpose Because the BSN program faculty members are committed to professional and community service, they encourage and support volunteer service. Students and graduates of this program are expected to participate in volunteer community service, defined as voluntary participation in health care related, professional, and/or political activities. Junior and senior level outcomes are derived from this overall program outcome (see below). To foster a commitment to public and community service in students, a Community Service Recognition Program has been developed to recognize those students who meet or exceed a defined number of volunteer community service hours (see below).

Junior Level Outcome Senior Level Outcome • Service hours goal for junior year =

10 or more

• Service hours goal for senior year = 10

or more

Responsibilities 1. Each nursing student is responsible for

a. Seeking and volunteering for appropriate service activities b. Maintaining documentation of hours worked, approved by faculty and signed

by an appropriate official for the service activity, using the form provided (see handbook section “Forms”).

c. Maintaining own personal records of documented community service hours for review at the end of each semester.

2. Nursing class secretary is responsible for:

a. Maintaining a log of each student in his/her class tracking event, date, and hours worked (see Class Secretary Role description).

b. Submitting the completed log to the class Faculty Advisor at the end of each semester.

3. Faculty Class Advisor is responsible for

a. Reviewing the log of student volunteer hours periodically for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with guidelines of this policy

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b. Submitting a summary of class volunteer hours to School of Nursing Faculty at the end of the academic year. Certificates will be awarded to students exceeding the required number of service hours.

4. Approved service activities a. Active participation in professional organizations / activities

• Officer = 2 hours • Committee Chair = 1 hour • Active member (attends minimum of 4 meetings) = 1 hour • Participation in organization sponsored events (hours worked)

c. Volunteer hours for varied health related activities (hours worked) This service must require your knowledge / skill as a nursing student OR as a member of a professional nursing organization, and may not be an activity that anyone without such education/membership could perform. • Health Fairs & Screenings (Excluding those required for course work) • First aid stations

c. Any activities not clearly fitting the criteria above will be decided by the faculty at the next department meeting.

Community Service Hours 02 Approved 10/04/02; Updated 7/16/07

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Financial Aid

The CSU financial aid program includes scholarships, loans, grants, and part-time employment. The Financial Aid Office provides financial counseling on matters pertaining to educational expenses. Nursing Scholarships and Awards Only nursing students accepted into the upper division clinical nursing courses are eligible for nursing scholarships or awards through the university. Students will be given specific information at appropriate times during the nursing program. General Scholarships and Loans The CSU Catalog lists many of the scholarships and loans available to students.

In addition to those listed, the following area hospitals may offer scholarships to students accepted to accredited nursing programs leading to licensure as a registered nurse.

Doctors Hospital, Columbus, GA St. Francis Hospital, Columbus, GA The Medical Center, Columbus, GA Hughston Sports Medicine Hospital, Columbus, GA

For additional information regarding these scholarships and their terms and stipulations, students should contact the human resource department at the individual hospital.

CSU School of Nursing awards merit scholarships to junior and senior nursing students based on pre-established criteria. The amount of these scholarships is dependent on money available in scholarship funds.

University Work-Study Program Part-time jobs on campus are available to students who qualify under this program. Interested students should contact the CSU Career Center.

Students in the BSN program are reminded that the nursing program is fast paced, challenging and requires a full time study commitment for successful completion. If students work at a job and/or other commitments more than 10-12 hours per week, they are likely to face academic difficulty, which could lead to failure from the nursing program.

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COLUMBUS STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF NURSING

ESTIMATE OF STUDENT EXPRESES (excluding room and board) (Expenses published as of May 08, 2010 ….expenses are subject to change)

ITEM ESTIMATED COST

FALL JUNIOR YEAR

ESTIMATED COST SPRING

JUNIOR YEAR

ESTIMATED COST FALL

SENIOR YEAR

ESTIMATED COST

SPRING SENIOR YEAR

ESTIMATED TOTAL COST

(4 semesters)

TUITION, IN-STATE, FULL TIME $1,937.00 $1,937.00 $1,937.00 $1,937.00 $7,748.00

SCHOOL OF NURSING FEES $1,244.00 $1,208.00 $1,408.00 $1,644.00 $5,504.00

CSU & BOARD OF REGENTS FEES $527.00 $527.00 $527.00 $527.00 $2,108.00

CRIMINAL BACKGROUD CHECK AND DRUG SCREENING FOR CLINICALS $216.00 $216.00

NURSING CLASS DUES $50.00 $50.00 $100.00

TRANSPORTATION TO CLINICALS $175.00 $175.00 $175.00 $175.00 $700.00

NURSING UNIFORM, SHOES, SOCKS $275.00 $275.00

WATCH WITH SECOND HAND $30.00 $30.00

BANDAGE SCISSORS $15.00 $15.00

STETHOSCOPE $45.00 $45.00

PENLIGHT $10.00 $10.00

STU NURSE LIABILITY INSURANCE $25.00 $25.00 $25.00 $25.00 $100.00

NURSE PACK: LAB SUPPLIES $150.00 $150.00

BOOKS $1,800.00 $600.00 $700.00 $650.00 $3,750.00

ACADEMIC SUPPLIES $100.00 $100.00 $100.00 $150.00 $450.00

NCLEX REVIEW COURSES $200.00 $400.00 $600.00

LICENSURE APPLICATION $40.00 $40.00

NCLEX EXAM $200.00 $200.00

CRIMINAL BACKGROUD CHECK $32.00 $32.00

TOTAL $6,599.00 $4,572.00 $5,122.00 $5,780.00 $22,073.00

Financial Information Estimated Tuition and Fees (excluding room and board) these are estimates only. Information regarding current tuition

and fees is available from the University Admission Office and is published yearly in the Columbus State University Catalog.

JG/jg Updated 7/09/09; 7/2010

PROFESSIONAL TRAVEL GUIDELINES For NURSING STUDENTS

PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to foster fair and timely planning of student professional travel by

1. providing guidelines for requesting student professional travel 2. outlining approval process for student professional travel 3. providing guidelines for completion of documents required for processing approved

student travel 4. describing timelines for submission of documents related to approved travel

Definitions • “Professional student travel” includes travel away from CSU campus for the purpose of

participating in approved professional nursing activities. • “Active participation” in a student organization includes

o attendance at over 50% of organization meetings, AND o active service within the organization by serving on an active committee, holding an

office, volunteer participation in an organization project, or similar active contributions to the organization.

o Final determination of whether a student has been an “active participant” rests with the organization officers and the faculty advisor.

Requesting Student Professional Travel

1. Requests for student professional travel will be submitted to the student organization faculty advisor at least at least 3 months prior to the activity to allow adequate processing time for approved travel. The request will include:

a. Registration costs b. Lodging costs c. Travel costs NOTE: Contact CSU official travel agency to make airline reservations. When Student Travel Requests reach the CSU office of Accounting Services, the tickets can be purchased. Reservations cannot be held and tickets cannot be purchased until the approved Student Travel Requests are received in the office of Accounting Services. Since the price of airline tickets can go up overnight, it is important to submit Student Travel Requests as soon as travel is approved so that tickets can be purchased within 24 hours.

2. Student organization faculty advisors will recommend approval/disapproval based on accepted criteria outlined below. Requests they approve will be submitted to Director, SON at least 2 months prior to the activity.

a. SNA Conventions – to attend, a student must 1) have a minimum GPA 2.50 2) be passing all nursing courses in which he/she is enrolled

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3) provide evidence of active participation in the CSU SNA during the past year.

b. Other professional activities – to attend, a student must meet the criteria specified by the faculty advisor for the organization.

Approval Process for Student Professional Travel

1. The student organization faculty advisor will either approve or disapprove student travel requests based on established criteria and submit to Director, SON at least 2 months prior to the activity.

2. The Director, SON will approve or disapprove student travel requests based on

established criteria AND availability of needed funds. NOTE: Once this approval process has reached this point, no additional students may be added to the travel request UNLESS they agree in writing to pay for all of their expenses.

3. For approved travel requests, the Director, SON will verify student organization sources

of funding, determine department funds available to support the travel, and request additional needed funding through Dean, COEHP. If approved, organization faculty advisor will be notified and will then continue travel processing.

Document Processing Required for Approved Student Travel Once travel is approved and all funding sources are identified, student organization faculty advisor is responsible for ensuring the following is completed.

1. Complete Student Travel Request form for each student who will be traveling and submit through Director, SON and Dean, COEHP to CSU Accounting Services as soon as travel and funding sources are approved .

2. Contact CSU official travel agency (currently Columbus Travel 323-6371) to make airline

reservations. When Student Travel Requests reach the CSU office of Accounting Services, the tickets can be purchased. NOTE: Reservations cannot be held and tickets cannot be purchased until the approved Student Travel Requests are received in the office of Accounting Services. Since the price of airline tickets can go up overnight, it is important to submit Student Travel Requests as soon as airline ticket prices are known so that tickets can be purchased within 24 hours.

3. Contact Director, SON who may be able to pay registration fees with department credit

card. Be sure earliest registration deadlines are met to obtain lowest registration fee. Required Forms

1. Student Travel Application (available on CSU Intranet under Forms, Administrative) 2. Student Activities Fund, Team/Group Travel Authorization/Payment Request

(available on CSU Intranet under Forms, Administrative) Written March 2006 Approved: Faculty Minutes April 2006; Updated 7/25/07; 7/09/09; updated 7/13/2011

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NURSING PROGRAM GRADUATION AND LICENSURE POLICIES

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Graduation Requirements: Summary

Students must meet the following criteria to graduate from the BSN program:

1. Achieve at least 900 on the NURS 4377 Final Exam (Nursing Exit Exam) 2. Maintain grade point average of 2.0 or better. 3. Complete all university requirements for graduation with a minimum of 123

earned credit hours required for degree completion. 4. Comply with all procedures for application for graduation, which are listed in the

Columbus State University Catalog 2011-2012.

Ceremony Participation Guidelines

• “Walking” in CSU Graduation Ceremony CSU has allowed, and will likely continue to allow, students who have completed all graduation requirements except courses to be completed in the summer to “walk” at the spring graduation ceremony in May. Students must understand that “walking” in this ceremony DOES NOT MEAN THEY HAVE GRADUATED. Graduation and award of a diploma will ONLY occur after all degree and graduation requirements are met.

• Participating in Nursing Honors Ceremony Nursing students who have completed all graduation requirements except courses to be completed in the summer may participate in the previous spring Nursing Honors Ceremony. Students must understand that participating in this ceremony DOES NOT MEAN THEY HAVE GRADUATED. Graduation and award of a diploma will ONLY occur after all degree and graduation requirements are met.

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NURS 4377 FINAL EXAM POLICY - Exit Exam PURPOSE • The Nursing Exit Exam is one of many tools used throughout the nursing program to:

o prepare students for success on the first attempt of the NCLEX-RN exam o measure the ability of senior students to think critically and synthesize knowledge to make safe

judgments and decisions in the discipline of nursing o provide information for the ongoing, systematic evaluation of the curriculum (as required for

national accreditation) POLICY The Nursing Exit Exam is the final exam for NURS 4377 and is required to complete the nursing

program. A passing benchmark score is set by the School of Nursing, which must be achieved in order to pass the exam and the course. The exam vendor and required passing score are determined by the School of Nursing.

o Senior nursing students are allowed up to three (3) attempts to achieve a passing score on the nursing exit exam in NURS 4377 during spring semester.

o Students who do not achieve a passing score in three (3) attempts will earn an Incomplete for NURS 4377 for spring semester.

o In order to clear the incomplete, the students will be required to participate in the summer session of NURS 4377. The students will be responsible for actively engaging in the recommended remediation and learning activities set by the faculty. Classes will meet weekly throughout the summer. The faculty will facilitate review of materials and guide remediation.

Students repeating the course will be allowed to take the exit exam after at least 21 days of review and study to strengthen weak areas. This pattern of review and study, followed by an exam attempt, may continue for up to 5 attempts to pass the exam.

If the student is not successful after the summer session, the student will need to continue with self-remediation and continue to repeat the exit exam every 21 days throughout the fall semester for an additional 5 attempts, if necessary.

If the student remains unsuccessful, the student will be required to repeat the entire NURS 4377 course the following spring semester to include participation in the NCLEX-RN review and senior preceptorship. The student will then be given three additional attempts to pass the exit exam as part of the course.

If the student is unsuccessful, the Incomplete will then be converted to an “Unsatisfactory”, which is considered a course failure. The student will then not be eligible to return to the nursing program.

At any point throughout summer session and/or fall semester and the student achieves a passing score on the exit exam, the student will earn a “Satisfactory” for NURS 4377 and not be required to attend any further classes.

If the student has to repeat NURS 4377 in the following spring semester, the student is required to complete all course and clinical requirements.

Students who repeat NURS 4377 in the summer, fall, or spring will be required to pay all tuition and fees normally associated with a repeating course.

I have read and understand this requirement and policy. Student Name Printed __________________________________________ Student Signature ______________________________________________ Date _______________

NURS 4377 Exit Exam Policy EF, AH, CS, TL/ef Reviewed and updated 11/11/2010

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NCLEX-RN and Licensing Procedures

Upon graduation from the Columbus State University Baccalaureate Nursing Program and receiving signed approval of the Director of SON, graduates are eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) and to apply for an RN license. Specific instructions about applying to take the NCLEX-RN and applying for state licensure will be provided to students during the senior year of the nursing program. Please note the general process outlined below:

• Graduate will apply to take the NCLEX-RN through the vendor, Pearson Testing. The best way to apply is online approximately two months prior to graduation in order to ensure all paperwork is completed prior to graduation. The cost is approximately $200.

• Graduates complete the “Application for Initial Licensure by Examination” (application available online at the board of nursing website) and submit to the School of Nursing along with

o a money order or certified check made out to the Georgia Board of Nursing in the amount of $40, and

o two passport size photos of head and shoulders, one signed with official signature below the chin.

• The School of Nursing will send all graduate applications to the Board of Nursing along with individual official transcripts indicating the applicant has graduated with a BSN degree (this must be sent following graduation day).

• The student must also have a criminal background check, urine drug screen, and fingerprinting done through the approved agencies.

• The state board of nursing processes the licensure applications as quickly as they can. Please keep in mind they are processing graduates from all over the state. Once processed, the board will notify Pearson Testing, who will then contact the graduate to make an appointment for testing.

• Graduates then sit for the NCLEX-RN examination by appointment at one of a variety of test sites. Specific information will be provided as appropriate.

NOTE: As stated in the Columbus State University Catalog, a student who has a negative criminal or licensure history MIGHT NOT be allowed to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam. Permission to take the NCLEX-RN rests with the Georgia Board of Nursing. Further information regarding licensure may be obtained from the Director, SON. Passing the criminal background check to participate in clinical experiences DOES NOT guarantee Georgia Board of Nursing approval for licensure.

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FORMS

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Campus Lab Referral

This form is to be used to refer students in need of additional clinical practice / remediation to the campus lab. The referring clinical instructor is to complete the form, have the student sign it, give the original to the student and retain a copy for the student’s clinical record. The student is to make an appointment with a campus lab instructor for the required practice, attend the practice session with this form ______________________________ is being referred to the campus lab for supervised (student name) practice by ____________________________ of (describe specific practice needed below): (name of clinical instructor) _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Student Signature________________________________Date Received __________________ Printed Student Name ________________________Clinical Faculty Signature__________________ *clinical instructor is to make a copy of the signed form and retain for student records

Campus Lab Practice Campus Laboratory Instructor Complete Below: The above named nursing student has practiced the procedure(s) listed above satisfactorily in campus lab under my supervision on (date) ________________________________. Instructor Signature _______________________Student Signature ___________________ The above named nursing student has practiced the procedure(s) listed above in campus lab under my supervision and has performed unsatisfactorily on (date) ____________________________. I make the following recommendations to the student: _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Instructor Signature ______________________Student Signature ____________________ *Campus laboratory instructor – make a copy and file in nursing office with the School of Nursing administrative assistant. Nursing Student: Student must return this form to the clinical instructor. Clinical instructor signature______________________________ Date form returned________________ *Attach to clinical evaluation (clinical instructor) Campus Lab Referral Form Revised 7/7/05; Reviewed 7/11/2011

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Clinical Supervision of Nursing Students

Purpose The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for compliance with the Georgia Nurse Practice Act and the Georgia Board of Nursing Rules and Regulations, and to protect public safety during undergraduate nursing student clinical learning experiences. Policy

6. This policy applies to all nursing students and nursing faculty members, both full and part time, and registered nurses (RN) accepting the role of preceptor for undergraduate nursing students.

7. Students may perform the following activities ONLY under the direct supervision of a

faculty instructor or RN preceptor, or another RN in the clinical teaching area who has been designated by the faculty instructor or RN preceptor (this specifically excludes supervision by any NON-registered nurse, such as LPN, Physician’s Assistant, or Physician):

a. Invasive procedures b. Administration of medication by any route (eg. PO, ID, SQ, IM, IV)

8. Students may administer medications by any route ONLY after all medication rights

have been verified by the faculty instructor or RN preceptor, or another RN in the clinical teaching area who has been designated by the faculty instructor or RN preceptor.

9. The registered nurse (faculty member, RN preceptor, or designated RN) who

supervises a nursing student in the performance of any nursing activity will co-sign all related entries into the patient record made by the student. This includes, but is not limited to,:

a. administration of medications by any route b. performance of any invasive procedure c. nurses notes of any type

10. Legal signatures in patient records

a. Faculty Member: First name, Last name, RN, CSU b. Nursing Student: First name, Last name, CSU-NS

I have read and understand my responsibilities outlined in the above policy. PRINTED NAME Nursing Student ________________________________________________ ___________________ SIGNATURE Nursing Student Date JG/jg Clinical Supervision Policy 05/16/04 Reviewed by Education Consultant, Georgia Board of Nursing, July 2004;; Updated 7/26/10; Reviewed 7/14/2011

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COLUMBUS STATE UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF NURSING BACCALAUREATE NURSING PROGRAM

COLUMBUS, GEORGIA 31907

Nursing Clinical Simulation Laboratory Confidentiality and Security Agreement

I understand that, the facility in which I am a student, I have a legal and ethical responsibility to safeguard the privacy of all simulated patients and protect the confidentiality of their simulated patient health information, the same as HIPPA regulations are regarded in any healthcare setting.

1. I will not disclose or discuss any Confidential Information with anyone who does not have need to know, including other students, family and friends.

2. I will not discuss Confidential Information where others can over hear the conversation even if the simulated patient’s name is not used.

3. I agree that my obligation under this Agreement will continue even after graduation.

4. I understand the violation of this agreement may result in disciplinary action, up to and including receiving an unsatisfactory in clinical. Satisfactory in clinical performance is required to pass the course.

5. Information about violations of this agreement can be submitted anonymously or not to SimLab faculty via email/suggestion box.

In signing this document, I acknowledge that I have read the agreement and I agree to comply with all the terms and conditions stated above. Any questions and/or issues with personal experiences in the SimLab are welcomed by the SimLab faculty. Student Printed Name Date

Student Signature Facility Name COLUMBUS STATE UNIVERSITY

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Columbus State University

School of Nursing Columbus, Georgia 31907

COMMUNITY SERVICE VALIDATION FORM

STUDENT NAME _____________________________ ___JUNIOR ___SENIOR

(Clearly Print Full Name) INSTRUCTIONS

1. PRIOR to participating in a service activity for which you wish to earn points within the School of Nursing, it is advised that you have your CLASS FACULTY ADVISOR sign & date approval of the activity.

2. WHEN you participate in the approved service activity, you must have an an official at the event sign validation of your hours contributed.

3. UPON COMPLETION of the service activity, save this original form for submission at the end of the semester. It is recommended that you save a copy of every form submitted for your own records.

NOTE: It is your responsibility to obtain required validation signatures and save these forms for validation of community service hours. Credit for service hours will only be granted for those hours documented accurately and presented on this form. NO credit will be given for lost forms.

NAME OF SERVICE ACTIVITY:

SPONSOR OF SERVICE ACTIVITY:

LOCATION OF SERVICE ACTIVITY:

DATE / TIMES OF SERVICE ACTIVITY:

APPROVAL OF CLASS FACULTY ADVISOR:

Signature ________________________________________ Date ______________________ VALIDATION OF SERVICE HOURS WORKED:

# Hours Volunteer Service: ___________________ Date ___________________

Signature & Title of Official Representative _____________________________________

JG/jg Community Service Hours Validation Form Updated 06/18/04; 7/20/07; Reviewed 07/08/09; Reviewed 7/26/10

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Employment Record of Nursing Students

REQUIREMENT: Nursing students are required to complete this form and keep it updated. A form will be completed when students are first enrolled in the program and filed in the student’s permanent record in the School of Nursing office. It is the student’s responsibility to update this form in the department office if any changes to employment status occur while the student is enrolled in the nursing program at CSU. Student Name ____________________________________ (printed)

Date __________

HEALTH RELATED LICENSES Do you hold a current license in a health care field?

____ YES ____ NO (If answer is NO, go to next part of form)

If so, what license do you hold? _______ Practical Nurse (LPN, LVN) _______ Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) _______ Paramedic _______ Therapist (any type) name type __________________________ _______ Other Name of license ______________________________ License # _______________________ State ___________________ **Take the original license to the School of Nursing office and the secretary will make a copy for our records. You may not bring a copy that you have made. The original must be viewed by the department. EMPLOYMENT Are you employed in any capacity while a student in the BSN Program? ______ YES _____NO IF the answer is NO, stop here and sign form. Name of employing institution ________________________________________ Average # of hours worked per week ________________ My signature below indicates that the above information is true and current And that I understand the requirement to take my original license(s) to the nursing office for photocopying. Student Signature: ____________________________________

Date: _______________

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MEDICAL/EMERGENCY CARE

I UNDERSTAND THAT AS A NURSING STUDENT AT COLUMBUS STATE UNIVERSITY I AM NOT COVERED BY WORKMAN’S COMPENSATION, NOR IS THE CLINICAL FACILITY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURIES I MIGHT INCUR WHEN FUNCTIONING IN THIS ROLE. IF MEDICAL CARE IS NEEDED I MAY SELECT THE FACILITY AND PHYSICIAN AND WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS OF SUCH TREATMENT.* I HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO OBTAIN PERSONAL HEALTH INSURANCE, THOUGH I HAVE THE RIGHT TO WAIVER IT. I AM INDICATING BELOW MY DECISION REGARDING HEALTH INSURANCE BY INITIALING THE APPROPRIATE STATEMENT. MY SIGNATURE INDICATES THAT THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN EXPLAINED TO ME AND ANY QUESTIONS ANSWERED TO MY SATISFACTION. _________ I have obtained health insurance for myself. __________I decline to obtain health insurance and assume full responsibility for costs and financial arrangements for all health care I receive. DATE STUDENT SIGNATURE DATE WITNESS SIGNATURE *All medical or health care (emergency or otherwise) that a student or College faculty member receives at the Facility will be at the expense of the individual involved. From: Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Affiliation of Students for Clinical

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NURS 4377 FINAL EXAM POLICY - Exit Exam PURPOSE • The Nursing Exit Exam is one of many tools used throughout the nursing program to:

o prepare students for success on the first attempt of the NCLEX-RN exam o measure the ability of senior students to think critically and synthesize knowledge to make safe

judgments and decisions in the discipline of nursing o provide information for the ongoing, systematic evaluation of the curriculum (as required for

national accreditation) POLICY The Nursing Exit Exam is the final exam for NURS 4377 and is required to complete the nursing

program. A passing benchmark score is set by the School of Nursing, which must be achieved in order to pass the exam and the course. The exam vendor and required passing score are determined by the School of Nursing.

o Senior nursing students are allowed up to three (3) attempts to achieve a passing score on the nursing exit exam in NURS 4377 during spring semester.

o Students who do not achieve a passing score in three (3) attempts will earn an Incomplete for NURS 4377 for spring semester.

o In order to clear the incomplete, the students will be required to participate in the summer session of NURS 4377. The students will be responsible for actively engaging in the recommended remediation and learning activities set by the faculty. Classes will meet weekly throughout the summer. The faculty will facilitate review of materials and guide remediation.

Students repeating the course will be allowed to take the exit exam after at least 21 days of review and study to strengthen weak areas. This pattern of review and study, followed by an exam attempt, may continue for up to 5 attempts to pass the exam.

If the student is not successful after the summer session, the student will need to continue with self-remediation and continue to repeat the exit exam every 21 days throughout the fall semester for an additional 5 attempts, if necessary.

If the student remains unsuccessful, the student will be required to repeat the entire NURS 4377 course the following spring semester to include participation in the NCLEX-RN review and senior preceptorship. The student will then be given three additional attempts to pass the exit exam as part of the course.

If the student is unsuccessful, the Incomplete will then be converted to an “Unsatisfactory”, which is considered a course failure. The student will then not be eligible to return to the nursing program.

At any point throughout summer session and/or fall semester and the student achieves a passing score on the exit exam, the student will earn a “Satisfactory” for NURS 4377 and not be required to attend any further classes.

If the student has to repeat NURS 4377 in the following spring semester, the student is required to complete all course and clinical requirements.

Students who repeat NURS 4377 in the summer, fall, or spring will be required to pay all tuition and fees normally associated with a repeating course.

I have read and understand this requirement and policy. Student Name Printed __________________________________________ Student Signature ______________________________________________ Date _______________

NURS 4377 Exit Exam Policy EF, AH, CS, TL/ef Reviewed and updated 11/11/2010

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COLUMBUS STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF NURSING COLUMBUS, GEORGIA

STUDENT HANDBOOK PLEDGE

I have read and understand the contents of the 2011-2012 Nursing Student Handbook and agree to abide and be governed by the policies set forth and described in this handbook.

HONOR PLEDGE I understand and agree that all work to which I put my name and submit as my work will be my own original work. I further agree that I am responsible for reporting, and will report, any suspected or known instance wherein others have cheated or violated this pledge.

_________________ ___________________________________ DATE STUDENT SIGNATURE STUDENT PRINTED NAME ** Every nursing student must read this handbook, sign this statement, and submit to designated Course Coordinator by the end of the first week of class each fall.

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91

Sample Letter of Exception December 25, 2020 Dear Dr. Whoever, Course Coordinator, I am requesting an exception to the attendance policy as stated in the Columbus State University School of Nursing Student Handbook. I have missed 10 hours of class time and 14 hours of clinical time due to illness. I was unable to attend class or clinical due to an elevated temperature and productive cough for 5 days. I am providing a dated, signed note from my physician as documentation of my extenuating circumstances (see attached). I would like to request to make-up the 14 hours of clinical time. I would also like to be allowed to continue in the NURS 3275. Thank you for your consideration in this matter. Sincerely, Student’s Name Student’s CSU ID#